An ESPN report from Tuesday provided greater insight into the behind the scenes turmoil surrounding Ben Simmons and the 76ers.
In the article, it’s suggested that the Australian guard hinted at attempts to get out of playing in game seven of Philadelphia’s round two playoff loss to Atlanta last season.
A Philly team masseuse had tested positive for COVID during the week and Simmons was held out of practice while the team worked out his proximity to the staffer. The report suggests the All-Star was not necessarily against the idea of needing to isolate, thus missing the game.
It goes on to add that players questioned whether that was in fact the case, calling out his commitment to the team in what was the biggest moment of their season.
NBA commentator and owner of The Ringer Bill Simmons believes the above is the most troublesome aspect of the whole saga, which has seen the Aussie suspended for one game and kicked out of team practice.
“He lost his teammates. That’s another piece. Now they’re not even pretending to go through the charade of defending him,” Simmons said on his podcast.
“What I had heard, and it was in the Ramona Shelburne article, some Sixers and people around the team felt like before game seven he was looking for an out and made it seem like ‘maybe I was around the masseuse that tested positive’.
“The players were like ‘do you really want to play in this game?’
“The fact that that was in the article I thought was the most damning thing that I’ve read because if I’m Ben Simmons and people representing him and I read that, I’m like ‘oh (the players) hate this guy’.
“That made it like he kind of can’t go back. I don’t know how you come back from that.”
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Veteran NBA sportswriter Jackie MacMullan added her thoughts, wondering whether Simmons simply needs a few months away from the game to get his head right.
“I’m really wondering – does Ben Simmons want to play basketball? Is Ben Simmons in a place where maybe he should just step away from the game for a while. That’s really what I’m wondering,” she said on Bill Simmons’ podcast.
“This isn’t something a player who loves the club does.
“Jimmy Butler went crazy on the Timberwolves, but it was over the fact that he didn’t think the players were tough enough or playing hard enough.
“This is – your coach says we’re doing a defensive drill and you’re telling him no? Who are you?
“Is he in a place where ne needs to play and does he need a break? If somebody trades for him, is that the first thing you do? Just put him on the shelf for a bit and let him get his head right and his priorities right.”