With the Sixers coming off another extremely disappointing season, it’s only natural that they start looking for ways to get better.
And while the franchise has been reluctant to let go of Ben Simmons, it’s looking increasingly likely that he has already played his last game with the team.
According to a report by Kendrick Perkins earlier this week, Ben has completely checked out.
“Ben Simmons is not answering the phone calls,” said ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins. “He don’t want to be with the 76ers, and from what I heard, he’s willing not to report to training camp, and will go as long as it takes for him to get out of Philly.”
Apparently, that’s only really the tip of the iceberg. His relationship with head coach Doc Rivers is now being described as catastrophic.
“Simmons, for example, has not cut off everybody in the organization, as has been suggested by several people in the know,’” Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck wrote. “Teammates of his have said otherwise, and one of the team’s photographers makes constant appearances with or around Simmons on the west coast. That is not to say everything is hunky-dory, or that the stakes of this offseason aren’t clear to both sides. The relationship between Simmons and Doc Rivers, it’s worth noting, suffered significant damage that some believe is irreparable, though the Sixers would tell you when pressed on this they believe things can be worked out and fences can be mended.”
The specific altercation that caused this rift is still unknown, but it’s bad news for the Sixers regardless.
With news that Ben wants out and that his relationship with Rivers cannot be saved, the Sixers have lost any leverage they had in this situation.
The offseason is quickly progressing, and the Sixers are facing more pressure than ever before to make a big move and say goodbye to Simmons.
But if they want a really quality package in return, they could drag things out for weeks or even months.
Either way, Philadelphia has to step carefully over these next few weeks. How they proceed from this point could determine their future for years to come.
