Following a crushing second-round defeat in the 2021 playoffs, there was a sense that the Philadelphia 76ers were going to shake things up in the offseason.
Mostly, it is Ben Simmons who has surfaced in trade rumors, as his struggles in the series against Atlanta cost the Sixers their chance at a title. For weeks, fans have suggested that the Sixers are better off without their young star and that the Embiid/Simmons duo was never going to work.
But with Day 1 of NBA free agency come and gone, and Philly still without any significant moves, it’s looking more and more like he might be sticking around after all.
According to Ramona Shelburne, the franchise has warmed up to the idea:
“I think they prefer that…”
The Sixers are open to bringing Ben Simmons back, per @ramonashelburne
"I think they prefer that"
(h/t @NBATheJump ) pic.twitter.com/cxa8abhMk0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 3, 2021
Obviously, this is a stark contrast to what we were hearing right after the season ended, when NBA executives predicted Simmons would be somewhere else by training camp.
The problem for Philly isn’t that they can’t find a trade partner for Ben. Rather, it’s their absurd asking price for the struggling young star.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted that any team who wants Simmons will have to give up a “Harden-Esque” package including several picks and at least one All-Star level player.
Coming off a rather disappointing season, that ended with Philadelphia being embarrassed, the stock for Ben isn’t very high right now.
It remains to be seen if the Sixers will budge on their price, but until they do, it’s unlikely they find a landing spot for the 3x All-Star.
