Ben Simmons Philadelphia exit plan torn to shreds by Charles Barkley

Ben Simmons has reportedly told the Philadelphia 76ers that he wants out of the team but the Aussie star has been put in his place.

Ben Simmons wants out but Charles Barkley says he’s not in control. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

Ben Simmons has been smacked around yet again after the latest news he’s trying to force his way out of Philadelphia.

The Simmons saga has engulfed the Philadelphia 76ers off-season after last years’ NBA playoff capitulation, when he was slammed for “The Pass” when Simmons opted to dump it to Matisse Thybulle under the rim rather than shoot at the end of the Game 7 loss.

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Joel Embiid slammed Simmons and coach Doc Rivers was unable to confirm that Simmons would play another game for the team.

As the saga dragged on with teams linked to the 25-year-old Aussie, it came to a head earlier in the week when details of a secret meeting emerged with the Aussie reportedly telling the team he wouldn’t turn up for pre-season training, demanding the team grant his trade request.

The report outlines Simmons has requested for the team to prioritise potential trades with the Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors.

The situation was further amplified last week by Embiid finalising a four-year, fully guaranteed $US196 million ($AUD270m) supermax contract extension with the 76ers.

Simmons has been slammed for not taking his shot. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

Embiid slammed reports of his name being used to push the rift narrative between the pair, writing “Stop using my name to push people’s agendas. I love and hate drama. I love playing with Ben. Stats don’t lie. He’s an amazing player and we all didn’t get the job done. It’s on me personally. I hope everyone is back cuz we know we’re good enough to win”.

But while Embiid was saying the right things, NBA legend Charles Barkley has torn Simmons a new one for the drama.

“This is total BS and if I’m the Sixers, we had our annual Sixers dinner the other night and I said to those guys I will call Ben Simmons,” Barkley said on The Mike Missanelli Show.

“If you want to be traded that is fine, we’re not giving you away. We’re not going to trade you to where you want to be traded. For someone who wants to give up the deal, we’re not taking 25 cents on the dollar. If we don’t get the deal we want, you are going to be playing right here in Philadelphia.”

Barkley also took aim at Rivers and Embiid’s comments after the game seven loss to Atlanta, which Simmons took as being thrown under the bus.

But Barkley said it was nowhere near as hard as they should have gone.

“That was the softest criticism, that is a fair criticism,” he said.

“First of all, I blame Ben number one because he’s already got one coach ran out of town because he wouldn’t shoot the ball but now he’s on the clock.

Charles Barkley didn’t hold back. Photo: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images/AFP

Barkley didn’t allow Rivers to skate through unscathed though.

“If I had a dollar for every time I heard him say: ‘Wait you want me to take Ben Simmons out of the game?’ … I’m like: ‘Yeah we do, that’s why we keep asking, we’re playing five on four’,” he added.

“I think what annoys Philadelphia fans the most, and I’ve been here 36 years, I think they’re mad because he’s afraid.

“I use this analogy, when you watch the Milwaukee Bucks play and that boy Giannis is not a better free throw shooter than Ben Simmons, but he ain’t scared.

“You’ve got to admire that. He doesn’t care if he misses 100 of them, he doesn’t run from the ball. That dude plays so hard, you’ve got to admire him.

“The hardest thing, not just as a basketball player but as a person, is to look in a mirror and say it is my fault I am not successful. That’s a really hard thing.

“I’m not sure there is a single person in the Sixers organisation that Ben Simmons had from day one that gave him tough love.”