The Philadelphia 76ers are in a very tough situation right now.
Ben Simmons has let them know that he wants to be traded right now and threatened not to attend training camp, sinking his trade value even further.
Daryl Morey and the Sixers are reluctant to let Simmons go at a discount. However, his trade value has hit rock bottom and won’t go up with his desire to leave being out in the open.
That’s why, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Sixers may not be able to get the return they want for him and can’t afford to just hold on to him right now:
“Everyone that you talked to in the league believes that Simmons will eventually be traded, that the Sixers cannot afford to hold on to him and that Simmons is being very real in his threats not to show up,” Krawczynski said on his Podcast, as quoted by HoopsHype.
Multiple NBA legends have addressed Simmons’ situation and called him out for not accepting his responsibility in the team’s struggles.
Simmons doesn’t want to be held accountable for his lack of improvement and Doc Rivers’ harsh comments on him allegedly infuriated him, up to the point where he decided that he wouldn’t play for the team again.
This is just one of the many red flags that opposing teams may consider when trading for Ben Simmons.
His talent is undeniable, as well as his playmaking and impact as a defender. But he hasn’t made a lot of improvements since his rookie season, has been prone to injury, and shows a reluctance to embrace criticism and work in his flaws.
There’s no denying that Simmons would improve most of the teams in the league, but no one will give away a lot of assets for a player that has no intention of reporting to training camp.
