Ben Simmons returned to the city of Philadelphia and rejoined the 76ers for practice, despite being featured in trade rumors all season. While the team was likely hoping for a seamless transition back from Ben Simmons, that has not been the case thus far.
It has recently been reported that Doc Rivers has kicked Ben Simmons out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice and the Philadelphia 76ers ended up suspending the guard for 1 game due to “conduct detrimental to the team”. It’s clear that Ben Simmons isn’t necessarily a happy camper in Philadelphia.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated has reported the words of an anonymous league executive on the Ben Simmons situation. The executive blasted Ben Simmons for his attitude and rhetorically asked “who wants a guy like that?”, in the aftermath of today’s events.
Texting with a league exec who is monitoring the Simmons situation: "When sh– goes south, this is how he reacts? Who wants a guy like that?"
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) October 19, 2021
It is clear that Ben Simmons wants to move on from the 76ers and start a new chapter in his career. There’s no shortage of suitors for him either, and it was previously reported that the 76ers are talking to 10 different teams about a potential Ben Simmons trade. That’s one-third of the league, and it’s easy to see why teams would want him. He’s still a fantastic player who is a top-tier defender and playmaker.
What’s complicated the talks thus far is the 76ers’ demands for Ben Simmons, as they want a good return so that they can remain a contender. With that being said, it’s going to be difficult for the team to get a good return if Ben Simmons doesn’t end up cooperating with the team’s wishes by playing and building up his value.
Hopefully, this situation ends up being resolved sooner rather than later. The Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to build on their No. 1 Eastern Conference Finish, and once the Ben Simmons saga is over, perhaps they’ll be able to do so.
