Ben Simmons added another chapter to his drama with the Philadelphia 76ers today. The Australian player was expected to talk with the media for the first time in months before he was ejected from practice by head coach Doc Rivers.
The team suspended the player shortly after this event, which set the alarms around the NBA community. After Ben demonstrated his unhappiness with the team and the fans, he’s not mentally with the team, and Rivers took notice of that today.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the 2008 NBA champion coach decided the player needed to leave practice since he couldn’t engage mentally or physically with the squad.
Simmons’ reluctance to physically and mentally engage with the Sixers since his return has been a consistent theme, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/bG1Cs2EuZ4
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 19, 2021
Instead of Simmons, Rivers addressed the media and discussed this situation, explaining what prompted him to ask the point guard to leave. The veteran coach believed Ben was a distraction and asked him to remove himself from practice.
“I thought he was a distraction today. I told him, ‘you should leave Ben,'” Rivers told the Australian, as transcribed by John Clark of NBC.
“I thought he was a distraction today. I told him, You should leave Ben”
-Doc Rivers pic.twitter.com/3JXBzR6Usd
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 19, 2021
This situation gets worse every day for the player and his team. After a tumultuous 2020/21 NBA season, Simmons is ready to leave the franchise. He’s trying to force his way out of Philly, but these attitudes won’t look good with rival teams.
Simmons was tossed early in practice, essentially for a refusal to participate in the next stage of the session, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/wq2hN07lny
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 19, 2021
Wojnarowski adds that after refusing to participate in the next session of today’s practice, Rivers ejected him.
He’s still a terrific player that can do a lot on the court. Still, knowing how hard he can be sometimes, other franchises will be careful before making a move for the 2018 Rookie of the Year.
