Joel Embiid denies rift with Ben Simmons, calls on Philly fans to be better

Ben Simmons unwanted by the 76ers? That’s news to one very large, very influential teammate of the Aussie NBA star.

Has Ben Simmons played his last game with the 76ers? Picture: AFP Photo

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has denied reports of a rift with teammate Ben Simmons amid reports that the Australian star is seeking to leave the franchise.

An increasingly unsettled Simmons wants to leave Philadelphia and had informed president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and coach Doc Rivers he planned not to report for training camp.

The report cited an “escalating” rift with Embiid as one of the reasons Simmons was looking for a trade following a 2020-2021 season that ended with yet another playoff disappointment.

Embiid however denied any rupture in his relationship with Simmons in a series of tweets in response to a USA Today report on the matter.

Sources “Trust me bro”!! 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 https://t.co/1kq9VI9byE

— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) September 1, 2021

I haven’t forgotten but 2 years ago, I got booed, people in Philly wanted me to be traded. I even shushed them. Only the real ones didn’t but I just put the work in that offseason to be better cuz I knew I wasn’t playing up to my potential. Philly fans, y’all also gotta be better

— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) September 1, 2021

“Stop using my name to push people’s agendas,” Embiid wrote. “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.

“From my own experience, y’all have no idea how much this media makes up stuff for followers and shame on you for believing them.” Simmons’ future in Philadelphia has been the subject of speculation since the team lost a decisive Game 7 to Atlanta in last season’s playoffs, with Simmons’s offensive output shrivelling in the crucial final quarter.

That led to Sixers coach Rivers questioning whether Simmons could be a championship-winning point guard.

Embiid compared Simmons’ current situation in 2019-2020, when he shushed fans for booing him during a poor run of form.

“I haven’t forgotten but 2 years ago, I got booed, people in Philly wanted me to be traded,” Embiid said.

“I even shushed them. Only the real ones didn’t but I just put the work in that off-season to be better cuz I knew I wasn’t playing up to my potential. Philly fans, y’all also gotta be better.”

BEN SIMMONS A $150 MILLION FLOP

Ben Simmons is walking a tightrope, not completely due to his own doing, and his next move will not only define his NBA career but his reputation on and off the court.

Simmons is officially in limbo after informing Philadelphia officials he no longer wants to be a Sixer and does not intend to report to training camp.

He is so disillusioned and disappointed with the 76ers that he hasn’t answered calls from the franchise for weeks while he is willing to pay fines to miss pre-season camp as a protest.

Simmons’ relationship with Philadelphia is broken despite having four years and a whopping $147 million remaining on his deal. It’s over. Done and dusted.

And in some ways, you can’t blame Ben for wanting to walk away.

Philadelphia have publicly displayed a lack of confidence and commitment to him for some time, dating back to last season when the franchise attempted to trade him for then Houston superstar James Harden.

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Ben Simmons is brilliant at his best, but his substandard shooting has left his next NBA career move largely out of his hands. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

The tension then reached boiling point after Simmons’ substandard shooting during the 76ers’ most recent playoff run, which prompted teammate Joel Embiid to blame Ben for the side’s Game 7 semi-final loss to Atlanta.

Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers then refused to comment post-game when asked if Simmons can be the point guard on a championship team.

“I don’t know the answer to that right now,” Rivers said.

Rivers’ response said it all.

As brilliant as Simmons can be, especially on the defensive end, his lack of an established shot is a glaring and problematic weakness.

all i ask is Ben Simmons posts another empty gym workout video in the next couple of hours. preferably one with some jumpers and a 🔥😤 in the caption.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) August 31, 2021

And when you are max-level player, raking in $167 million over five years, NBA teams expect more from their superstars.

It’s a completely reasonable expectation, and one Simmons has failed to meet since joining the world’s best basketball league.

We’ve all seen Ben’s pre-season training footage of him sinking jumpers and shots from range, but he has never transferred that form to the regular season.

Philadelphia’s frustration with Simmons’ shooting shone bright during his poor playoff performance against Atlanta.

Ben’s shooting, even from the free-throw line, regressed so badly that he joined the NBA record books for woeful shot making.

As a result, Simmons’ market value has plummeted, making it difficult for Philadelphia to trade him for the assets they’d want in return and panic is setting in.

The 76ers understandably want a hefty reward for trading Ben as a max-level Defensive Player of the Year candidate who is also a brilliant passer and almost unstoppable when attacking the rim.

Sadly, rival teams just remember his poor performance in the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Hawks.

It leaves Philadelphia in a tough position to receive the value they are looking for in a Simmons trade.

Ben Simmons’ NBA future now rests in the hands of the franchise that have attempted to trade him. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images.

Ben’s camp has indicated that he wants to play in California, where he has been training for weeks attempting to improve his shooting.

The likes of Golden State, Portland, Sacramento, and San Antonio have all been reported as potential landing spots for Simmons.

The dream scenario for Ben would be a franchise like the Warriors, where his running game, passing and dogged defence would perfectly complement world-class shooters Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

But reports suggest Golden State remain ‘divided’ about a Simmons trade, and the Melbourne-born star may have to settle for whatever a rival team is prepared to pay the 76ers.

This means Ben could land at a rebuilding franchise or a location that isn’t as stunning or lavish as California.

Simmons’ future now ironically rests on Philadelphia president of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey – the man who has repeatedly attempted to move Ben on from the 76ers.

Morey has a reputation of securing blockbuster deals, but he’ll have to produce his best to pull off a lucrative deal for Philly to part ways with Simmons given the Aussie star’s current trade stock.

Originally published as Joel Embiid denies rift with Ben Simmons, calls on Philly fans to be better