After a rough playoff run, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a delicate situation with regard to star point-man Ben Simmons. The solutions are clear, though — either Simmons does whatever is necessary for him to become the player Philly needs or team president Daryl Morey trades him for that player.
Given everything that’s at stake, consistent communication between Simmons and the Sixers is imperative. However, a recent report has indicated that one side might by dodging the other.
Insider: Sixers Can’t Get Simmons on the Phone
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer joined Liberty Ballers’ Steve Lipman and Dan Volpone on The Gastroenteritis Blues podcast and discussed the Simmons situation at length. If you’re a Sixers fan pulling for the former No. 1 overall pick to remain in Philly, Fischer’s view of what is currently transpiring doesn’t paint a pretty picture.
“I’m not gonna write this in the story, but I’ll tell this to you guys and you guys can do what you want with it,” he prefaced before dropping the bomb. “They haven’t been able to really even get in touch with Ben since the season ended.”
Yikes.
In the immediate aftermath of the team’s playoff ouster at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, Sixers coach Doc Rivers hyped the notion that they had a plan for Simmons to further develop his offensive game. According to Fischer, though, actually enacting whatever plans they have has proven difficult.
“Like, there was an intent to have a workout plan or whatever — like in any offseason. That’s always kind of been the case, that the Sixers haven’t been able to align with a development plan [for Ben]”
Fischer continued:
“It just doesn’t sound like there’s ever been movement to come together on the same page to do that, and it hasn’t really worked this summer, either. I think that’s not something that’s an encouraging sign for him being in Philadelphia in the future.”
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Team Sources Have Denied Rumors of Non-Contact
For their part, people within the Sixers organization are denying Fischer’s version of the team’s experience with Simmons this offseason. Here is the latest as reported by PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck:
PhillyVoice reached out to multiple team sources on Monday morning in wake of the report, and received pretty firm denials at every stop.
“We talked to Ben on his birthday a couple of days ago, we’ve been in touch with him throughout the summer,” one source said. “We’re going to send some training personnel out to see him this summer, too…we have good dialogue with Ben, his team, and his family.”
In response to that story, one clever fan was quick to fire off this gem, via Twitter:
Simmons was an All-Star for the third time last season and is just one year into the massive, multi-year extension he signed during the summer of 2019.
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Sixers Star Ghosting Team During Pivotal Offseason: Report