After months of battle, the Ben Simmons saga finally came to an end last month, when the 76ers pulled the trigger on the James Harden trade.
Weeks later, Ben is nearing his return to Philly (on March 10th), and the NBA community can’t help but wonder what the experience will be like.
After the 76ers’ 121-106 win over the Bulls on Monday, head coach Doc Rivers spoke on the highly anticipated night and on the idea of Simmons possibly getting a tribute video.
“Ben did a lot of good things here. It didn’t end well. Just like marriages and all kinds of other things don’t end well. But Ben did a lot of good things here. So I didn’t know if we are or not but if we did, I’d have no issues with it.”
Nets G Ben Simmons deserves a tribute video on Thursday 76ers coach Doc Rivers tells @BallySports. pic.twitter.com/2VYHQTJian
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) March 8, 2022
Sadly for us fans, Ben will not be playing on March 10th. He has already been ruled out for the game. He will, however, be present on the bench, and it’s a safe bet that the fans will let him know how they feel about his exit from the team.
“It would be very very bad for him (Simmons),” said Stephen A. Smith. If it’s a mental issue as it pertains to the Philadelphia 76ers fan base, as a guy that was a reporter and columnist in Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Inquirer for seventeen years, I can assure you as much as my skin is black, I can guarantee you, that moment when that brother shows up in Philadelphia, they will be waiting for him. Because they know, in their minds, they can get to him. And now that he’s a part of the opposition, they are going to eat him for breakfast.”
It’s still too early to say for sure who won the Simmons/Harden trade Both players have their faults and neither team has accomplished anything yet.
But the 76ers have looked good since the Beard’s arrival and Simmons has yet to play a single game this season.
No matter what Ben may have done for the team in the past, they look just as good now as they ever did with him on the roster.
