Things have reached another new low when it comes to Philadelphia 76ers point guard, Ben Simmons. The NBA All-Star has made it clear that he wants to be traded and stayed away from the organization all offseason awaiting a deal.
When no deal materialized, the two sides began communicating again. Simmons surprised the organization by showing up last week before a preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets. The two sides had some discussions and Simmons was taking the steps to officially report with the team.
It was anyone’s guess what was motivating Simmons to return. Did he genuinely want to return to the court and play with the Philadelphia 76ers again, as the franchise was hoping? Or did he just want to recoup some of the money he was losing?
The money would seemingly be the driving force. Simmons looked to just be going through the motions and was not engaged in the practice. Things came to a head today, as head coach Doc Rivers had finally had enough.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Best & Worst Trade Destinations For Ben Simmons At Start Of Season
Rivers threw Simmons out of practice and the team subsequently suspended him. His reluctance to truly take part in the practices was consistent and Rivers was fed up with it.
Show up to your job and perform as Simmons is and you would be sent home as well. Just how bad did things get? According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Simmons refused to event take part in drills after Rivers asked him to.
That is very immature behavior and isn’t going to get him traded any sooner. Unfortunately, this is the MO for big-name players that want to be traded.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Best & Worst Trade Destinations For Ben Simmons At Start Of Season
But, Simmons is taking it to a level we haven’t seen before. Anthony Davis and James Harden at least showed up and took part in practices and games with the team. Simmons’s refusal to take part in drills with his teammates shows a lack of respect for them, the coaches, and the organization as a whole.
It was already difficult for Daryl Morey to get the value he thought Ben Simmons was worth in a deal. This most recent development isn’t going to improve his stock around the league.
