Unavoidable Simmons truth in bitter Sixers ‘chess game’
As Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers’ Mexican standoff continues to drag on, any resolution is still bad for everybody involved.
NBA
Don't miss out on the headlines from NBA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Ben Simmons saga continues to roll on but there is little doubt that the longer it drags out, the worse it is for everyone.
Simmons has been the story of the NBA offseason as he continues to angle for a way out of Philadelphia and the 76ers attempt to hold on to their three-time All-Star — or trade him for another All-Star level “difference maker”.
Watch the 21/22 NBA Season with ESPN on Kayo. Live coverage every week plus every game of the NBA Finals. New to Kayo? Start your free trial >
It’s a sticking point that lead to Philly's president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to say the saga could drag on for “four years” which is when Simmons’ five-year $US168 million ($A225 million) contract ends.
People who know exactly what Simmons is going through are legends Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson.
Iverson was a No. 1 overall pick up for the Sixers and played 10 years for Philadelphia before leaving when a young Andre Iguodala came through.
While Iverson returned at the end of his career, he spoke earlier in the week about why the relationship has soured so far so quickly.
“With Ben, I think the connection with the fans got out of hand, and that’s what he didn’t want to have to deal with coming back,” he said. “My whole thing with our fans is, we’re with you if you’re with us, but when we feel like you don’t want to be with us? They’ll kill your a**.”
Simmons was the butt of the joke in Philadelphia after “The Pass” in game seven against the Atlanta Hawks.
Even before that, Simmons had a love-hate relationship with Philadelphia, making All-Star rosters but seemingly not taking a leap on the court with each passing season. And his lack of a jump shot is an ongoing joke in the city and across the NBA despite being one of the league’s best defensive players.
Barkley, who was a No. 5 overall pick for the 76ers and playing eight years before forcing a trade to the Phoenix Suns. At the time he claimed the team’s ownership was wasting the prime of his career to make more money rather than win a championship.
Last week, he said that the Simmons saga is “over now”, as there was no way back for Simmons and the 76ers fans.
“There’s only two bonds in pro sports: the locker room and the fans,” Barkley said on TNT’s NBA coverage. “He’s burned both of those bridges.
“I actually blame Ben Simmons a little bit because being in Philly since 1984, I think they would’ve given him a second chance.
“If he had come to training camp and busted his heart, even last year when he was scared to shoot and wasn’t making free throws, they were giving him some love and trying to encourage him.
“When he showed up at training camp and didn’t play and didn’t talk to his teammates, it’s over now.”
If two men have been there and done similar to Simmons before say the bond with fans is broken, it’s hard to see how Simmons gets back in the city’s good graces.
Simmons ‘chess game’ has no winners
There is still no indication of when — or if — Simmons will return to the court for the 76ers either as both the team and the Aussie continue the standoff.
The opening home game of the season for Philly saw fans show their displeasure, defacing Simmons jerseys and booing any vision or mention of him. That was even after superstar centre Joel Embiid called for support.
Initially refusing to turn up to training camp and pre-season games, Simmons did finally turn up, only not the way the Sixers would have hoped.
Appearing to only be around in order to stop being fined by the team, Simmons was sent home from training and suspended for one game when he failed to participate in a training drill last week and had been spotted snubbing the team’s group huddle at the end of practice.
After not turning up to an individual training session, Simmons and the team met, before the 25-year-old addressed his teammates and said he’s not mental ready to play.
It was revealed that Simmons had been seeing a mental health professional for months and the Sixers are continuing to pay the Aussie despite him not stepping onto the floor through the side’s 2-2 start to the season.
While things seem to be simmering down, former NBA star Andrew Bogut told Triple M’s Rush Hour WA that it was a “chess game” as neither side tries to lose the situation.
Bogut said of Morey’s comments that he’d wait four years: “I don’t believe that for a second but he’s trying to get leverage”.
But he added that both sides are trying to show off their power.
“Ben Simmons had essentially shown up and was doing nothing,” he said.
“There were rumours he stood in one spot at training for 40 minutes without doing a drill.
“It’s a smart play by him because he was getting fined for not reporting. I believe if the Sixers send him home they have to pay him.
“This is a chess move from Ben as well.
“It’s not good for anyone, it looks really poor on Ben and if I’m being honest he has form for doing these kinds of things. We experienced it in the international team. You just hope he gets his head right.”
Bogut said that he worries that the people around Simmons are giving him bad advice as he has quickly become a villain in the NBA.
“You’d have to jump through all 55 layers of people just to get to him, that’s the first thing,” he said.
“It would take you three or four weeks.
“The thing with him is, when you get him one-on-one, he’s not a bad kid. He’s actually engaging, he’ll have a chat with you.
“It’s just the handlers and people around him, whether it is his family, agent or manager. I think they’re advising him wrongly.
“That is the most disappointing thing. I don’t think he makes a lot of his own decisions, my advice to him would be ‘you’re almost in your mid-twenties, time to put pants on and run your own career instead of pouring off to all your handlers.”
Originally published as Unavoidable Simmons truth in bitter Sixers ‘chess game’
New life begins for Simmons
With $240m of his original five year deal in the bank Ben Simmons is set for a third NBA team on what’s likely a reduced salary and joining a familiar face.
Blockbuster trade goes from bad to worse
The bombshell trade that sent one team’s fanbase into meltdown has reached a new low following a nightmare injury blow.