Ben Simmons will be on the bench as the Brooklyn Nets make the trip to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to face the dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden. However, Simmons will not be making his season debut against Philadelphia, as he continues to get back in basketball shape.
Even though Simmons won’t be playing, the question of whether he will be getting a tribute video for his service for the 76ers. While it ended on a sour note, Simmons was a multiple-time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year candidate with the 76ers. Head coach Doc Rivers believes Simmons should get a tribute video, but ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson strongly disagrees
After Doc Rivers said that Ben should get a tribute video for all the good things he did for the organization, many people reacted to that. Jefferson, however, disagreed with the 2008 NBA champion, stating that the way Simmons left the team ended his chances to get a video tribute.
“Hell no. That’s the dumbest question ever. He does not deserve anything. Did kyrie get a tribute video when he went back to Boston? Did he? We don’t hand out tribute videos. This is ‘everybody gets a trophy’ life.”
Even though coach Rivers may have suggested that a tribute video should be given to Simmons, it is unlikely that it actually happens. Not only was his time with the team relatively short, but it also did not bring any accolades to the franchise. 76ers with the Simmons never made it past the second round, and the fans of the franchise did expect more glory in this time.
However, Simmons proved to be a once-in-a-generation talent with his size, playmaking, and defensive wizardry. His lack of scoring has held him back massively, but having Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to help with scoring will help his performance improve on the court under a defined defensive role.
James Harden will play against his former team when they come to visit Philadelphia and tensions will be high in those encounters as well. With the Nets looking to go back above .500, this trip to Philadelphia may be a landmark moment in their season.
