NBA 2022: Ben Simmons’ trade standoff with Philadelphia 76ers set to linger until June
As Ben Simmons’ self-imposed hiatus continues, costing him millions, Shane Heal has urged the Aussie to heed a warning from one of the NBA’s all-time greats.
Basketball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Basketball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Ben Simmons looks set to remain on the sidelines until at least June, and he only has himself to blame according to Philadelphia 76ers teammate Joel Embiid.
The NBA’s biggest story is showing no signs of slowing down, with the 76ers unlikely to trade Simmons before the NBA draft on June 23.
Friday’s NBA trade deadline looked set to end the league’s most bitter trade standoff. However, reports have emerged suggesting Philadelphia won’t trade the Aussie star before the NBA draft in four months’ time.
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 >
The 76ers’ stance means Simmons will remain in limbo unless he changes his mindset and opts to suit up for Philly until a trade is completed.
This looks doubtful at this stage, given the Melbourne-born guard has refused to play for Philadelphia, even though he has copped millions in fines.
Simmons hasn’t played a game since June last year and has now surpassed $A26.5 million in fines this season (57 per cent of his salary). The Aussie stands to be hit with a further $12 million in fines if he remains on the sideline for the rest of the season.
Embiid believes Simmons’ reaction to the trade standoff with the 76ers has been unreasonable.
“Oh definitely, definitely,” Embiid said on a local Philadelphia radio station. “You look at what has been said, I just think this is a business. If we don’t get the results, you guys are always on us, you guys are always booing us, and on us, which at times we do deserve.
“If you’re not playing well, you deserve the boos, you deserve to be let known that oh, you’re not playing well, you need to be better. So, I just don’t think it was reasonable.”
Embiid singled out Simmons for passing up an open dunk in the closing stages of last season’s Game 7 defeat to Atlanta in the Eastern Conference semi-finals as the reason Philadelphia lost. Over seven months on, he doesn’t regret his comments.
“To me personally, honestly, I wouldn’t change anything,” he said.
“I’m honest, I won’t go back on what I say, especially because I didn’t mention anybody, I didn’t call out anybody. I look back at what was said during the year. You talk about coach really had all of our backs, especially [Simmons].
“All year long, always praising and all of that stuff. It’s kind of, if that one thing (after Game 7) was the reason why all of this is happening, then it’s not fair, because everybody is allowed to make mistakes, especially in the heat of the moment.
“But I really believe it is really deeper than that. Obviously, some people deal with pressure differently, especially from fans and stuff.”
Embiid, though, was happy to admit that Philadelphia was a better team with Simmons on the floor.
“Whatever that’s going to help me achieve that (winning a title), I’m fine with whatever. I’ve always said, obviously, we’re a better team with [Simmons] on the floor,” he said.
“I’m sure a lot of people agree, even if they don’t want to agree, it doesn’t matter, we still are a better team with him on the floor.”
"He acting like a baby.â€@Shaq went IN on Ben Simmons and says the Sixers star DM'd him mad for comments Shaq recently made on @NBAonTNTÂ
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2022
More on #TheBigPodcast: https://t.co/v263O0hCCcpic.twitter.com/LGl9dtOYHJ
NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal recently said Simmons was acting like a “baby”, prompting a furious Ben to contact Shaq via social media.
NBL legend Shane Heal wants to see Simmons back on the court, but says O’Neal was within his right to call out the disgruntled Aussie superstar.
“The only thing Ben can do is prove him (Shaq) wrong by going out and playing and then playing good basketball that we will know he is capable of,” Heal said on this week’s episode of the Basketball Show.
“Shaq is no different. He also knows that Ben’s upside is that he can be an All-Star and a superstar, but you’ve got to play basketball. Sometimes things don’t go your way, but you have to be able to suck it up and do the hard work.
“Shaq has got every right to say what he said. He toned it down a bit, he was being respectful, and he didn’t say everything that Ben said in his DMs.”
It comes as a proposed trade between Simmons and Brooklyn star James Harden was shot down by Nets coach Steve Nash.
Such a trade would have been an eye-watering one, with Simmons and Harden contracted for a combined US$227 million (A$321 million), but Nash said there is no possibility his team will be trading Harden.
“I’ve talked to James — he wants to be here, and he wants to be here long term as well,” Nash said. “So, I don’t think anything’s changed other than noise from the outside.”
ESPN recently reported that Simmons watches every Sixers game and has been working out privately at the team’s practice facility.
He reportedly attends team shootarounds and film sessions to avoid being fined, but isn’t ready to return — at least as a member of the 76ers.
Simmons has been linked to a host of clubs, including the New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Los Angeles Lakers, although it appears doubtful a trade will be done with any of those teams before Friday’s deadline.
The GOAT returns to the WNBL… again
Australia’s basketball GOAT is set to join the WNBL as the league prepares to embark on its new era.
Huge SA coup as Adelaide to host Boomers, Opals games
Adelaide is set to host the first Australian men’s basketball internationals outside Victoria since 2019, with both the Boomers and Opals set to hit South Australia later this year. See the details.