2020-21-22 Sixers Season

bigegypt0417 2021-09-01 18:47:56 UTC #541

You're using semantics because you want to be more disparaging...i get it.

The outcome was based on his lack of aggressiveness.

zambonir 2021-09-01 20:55:20 UTC #542

I don't know that it's worth arguing about how bad Ben was in the Atlanta series. He was really bad. And his teammates and the head coach didn't hide their frustration either. That doesn't mean he's a bad player. I don't know if he will change or grow the way the Sixers need him too, let alone as quickly as they need him to, but in a vacuum his performance doesn't strike me as all that different as when a baseball player disappears in the playoffs (often for multiple seasons).

However, we are definitely not in a vacuum. The current rift will be hard to mend, and if they make a big trade than the Sixers' earlier mistakes - not trading him for Harden, picking him over Butler, even drafting him in the first place when he and Joel were never a great fit - will continue to haunt the team.

And besides the rift between the player and team, there is a rift with (a good number of) fans. Once you're making a trade for that reason you generally lose too.

VoteForKalas 2021-09-02 12:26:06 UTC #543

He would have preferred to make a lot more foul shots? He goes out of his way to avoid taking them and has his entire career. This is not just about the ATL series; that was simply him finally being fully exposed as a flawed offensive player who does not work on developing his game. The refusal to shoot is holding him and the team back. And, unfortunately, he has been bailed out during his career by the team as they continue to bend over backward to appease him.

I've always said trading him now at his lowest point of value would be the worst decision the 76ers, but, if the player demands a trade and refuses to play, I'm not sure how the 76ers could bail him out again without damaging the team even further. A lot of blame goes to the organization for how they have failed Simmons, but Simmons has also failed himself and needs to own up to his own issues.

VoteForKalas 2021-09-21 20:02:42 UTC #544

From Adrian Wojnarowski:

"ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons will not report for opening of training camp next week and intends to never play another game for the franchise. Simmons hasn’t spoken to team since a late August meeting when he communicated this message to Sixers officials."

Such a truly mind blowing and embarrassing chapter for both Simmons and the 76ers. I hope they suspend him without pay and let him stew at home. Once he reports as contracted, then trade talks will resume, but he has burned every inch of every bridge with the organization and fanbase IMO. Hopefully, we can get some value for him in the trade, but Morey is in a horrendous leverage position.

I also expect the NBA to get involved since it is beyond any precedent to have a player refuse to report with 4 years left on their deal. This is a black eye for them too if it is allowed to escalate further. Unfortunately, in such a tilted player league environment as the NBA is now, I'm not sure what that would mean for the 76ers.

zambonir 2021-09-21 20:41:24 UTC #545

My understanding is the NBA would merely force the Sixers to fine him, in addition to withholding pay. But in the bigger picture this is a power struggle with Rich Paul, for both league and team.

There's probably no scenario where his trade value can improve in this calendar year, especially if there's just not one player available that the Sixers want. Best they can hope for is a big enough package to flip for something better in February or next off-season.

It's too bad, I still liked Ben and this should have been fixable, but whether it's his pouting personality or his agent's power-play, it's not anymore. And it could also end with him playing somewhere else he doesn't want to be, either because the team is bad or it's an unappealing market.

flyers19rw 2021-09-21 21:38:43 UTC #546

Simmons just purchased a $17.5 M mansion in LA. He has bills. If the Sixers hold back his money…..

schillingfan 2021-09-21 21:39:11 UTC #547

Heard this on ESPN radio this afternoon.he really gave the smackdown to Simmons calling him a diva who would take a dunk when he was under the basket because he was afraid he would be fouled and end up looking bad at the free-throw line.

xogfog 2021-09-21 21:53:06 UTC #548

I never really liked Simmons after I watched that documentary on him. He's a childish diva, which is surprising since his father was an NBA player, you think he would have raised him better. He can't accept any criticism, so what if he got booed because he passed up a dunk, he also got a standing ovation when he made a 3 pointer in a game. So his coach said he wasn't sure if he was a point guard for a championship team. If he had any backbone at all, he would take criticism and use it as fuel to get better and work on his shot, not just in Instagram videos, but in actual games. Instead he views it a personal barbs and sulks like a 4 year old.

He never needed to be Steph Curry, he just needed to make 70% of his free throws and have a 10 foot jumper that would be at least decent enough that he could shoot a few and them use pump fakes to take guys off the dribble to the basket.

I hope he sits out, doesn't get paid and gets fined. I hope they can still get some value for him, maybe someone goes down in training camp or early in the season and his value increases. In all honesty, good riddance you stupid, heartless, spoiled baby.

zambonir 2021-09-21 22:35:54 UTC #549

That's a minor obstacle at best. I'm sure his sponsorship deals would pay the mortgage for two months. Or his agent would.

It's just sad how it's the same old story. Player, team, fans, WIP, all the usual notes. Nobody's truly the bad guy or good guy here. Even if Simmons is the worst of 'em, the Sixers mis-scouted him and mis-cast him. Thinking they could team him with Jimmy Butler - the worst player in one of these situations before now, though perhaps with more of a right to be a diva - and then choosing him over Butler also looks like a hilarious error now. Not trading him for Harden even more so.

All we likely get out of this in the end is the emotional satisfaction of kissing this soap opera goodbye. Doubt we get a better player, or have a better team this year.

bigegypt0417 2021-09-22 13:44:33 UTC #550

I think the team will hinge on how well Maxey is if he's the starter. I don't think they are going to be a 1 seed but they should get a useful player back in a deal for simmons.

As for that situation...I'm fairly certain the sixers are going to test if he's really willing to miss game checks and I still don't think Morey will give him away.

zambonir 2021-09-22 20:45:16 UTC #551

Wonder if this will have any impact on the Sixers' attempts to move Ben. Rosas was a Morey protege in Houston. KAT has already tweeted "WTF." And Brand's name is on the rumor/speculation list (though I don't know that it's more than that).

VoteForKalas 2021-09-27 17:31:17 UTC #552

Interesting press conference from today with Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey

The Ben Simmons questions start it off. Doc still in full protective mode and Morey still holding out hope they can reconcile with Simmons and get him into camp. Both say they remain committed to Simmons and do not want to trade him.

Doc also tried to awkwardly blame the fans as one of the potential reasons Simmons wants to leave. Says Ben never told him that, but it is an assumption of his...no one followed up unfortunately, but that is outrageous IMO and shows how far Doc (and Morey was nodding his head most of the time as Doc answered the questions) is willing to go to enable/appease Simmons. No wonder Doc never challenged Simmons as a player. Oh sorry, that is an assumption of mine...

bigegypt0417 2021-09-27 17:56:26 UTC #553

I'm not really sure it's outrageous in any way...there are MANY former players who didn't enjoy playing here because of the fans and although I believe it to be a LAME reason to not want to be here, it's not a completely unheard sentiment. Ben Simmons is not made to play for this fanbase but i still believe the Sixers will wait him out and not trade him for pennies on the dollar.

zambonir 2021-09-27 18:33:00 UTC #554

I mean, Danny Green joined the long parade of players ripping the fans and press coverage (do we give credit to Mike Schmidt for starting that or does it go back further?). But he still came back.

bigegypt0417 2021-09-27 19:43:30 UTC #555

Some seem better equipped to handle it and others who can't....Simmons can not handle being criticized.

phillychuck 2021-09-27 21:33:26 UTC #556

The reality is that Ben received incredible support from the fans in Philly throughout his tenure here. Cheered for anything positive he did on the court, rarely booed. If Ben listens to the morons on WIP that is on him.

VoteForKalas 2021-09-27 21:34:45 UTC #557

IMO it is outrageous for Doc to float that notion without any evidence. Again, he quickly backtracked and stated Ben never told him that and that it was only "an assumption of his". What other "assumptions" does Doc have about us 76er fans one would like to know. Totally irresponsible to float misinformation in a desperate attempt to cover Ben's rear end like he did all season long. It plays right into the Simmons camp narrative.

Ben is a baby who likely will never be able to handle any city to play in or any fanbase unless all he hears is cheers and having sunshine blown up his backside. Everyone knows it: the fans, the players, the 76ers and the entire NBA which is why we cannot trade him for a bag of beans now. Doc may be the only one who has not woken up from his Simmons fantasy yet. Maybe Embiid can shake him out of it soon.

schillingfan 2021-09-27 22:55:55 UTC #558

Isn’t it better to throw the fans under the bus than Ben himself, or management for thinking he would develop a shot?

phillychuck 2021-09-27 22:57:46 UTC #559

sf, you're right, but, honestly, it's better to deflect the questions entirely right now.

zambonir 2021-09-28 02:00:53 UTC #560

Maybe they'll be able to trade Ben for an unvaccinated player (Beal, Wiggins, Kyrie).