Getty LeBron James and Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons might need a wardrobe consultant after his latest Instagram post went viral for all the wrong reasons. In it, the Philadelphia 76ers star is wearing a blue hat emblazoned with “LA” on the front while he shows off his brand new sports car.
Social media sleuths were quick to point out that the “LA” was written in the same font as the Los Angeles Lakers logo, although the blue and black coloring would seem to indicate it was a Los Angeles Dodgers cap. Either way, it was a pretty tone deaf clothing choice for the embattled Sixers’ point guard. Simmons has been linked to several California teams in a trade this offseason, namely the Golden State Warriors or Sacramento Kings. He also has a close relationship with Lakers star LeBron James and the two share the same agent.
Back to that sports car for a minute. It appears to be a Porsche 918 Spyder, a limited edition plug-in hybrid with two electric motors and a lithium ion battery pack. The sleek-looking racer can go 0 to 60 miles-per-hour in 2.2 seconds while boasting 875 horsepower. It retails for $845,000, the most expensive Porsche production car ever.
There are multiple reports surfacing that Simmons has decided to sit out Sixers’ training camp which begins on Sept. 28. Meanwhile, the three-time All-Star remains on the Philly roster as a new trade rumor leaks out every single day. The latest one has the Cleveland Cavaliers emerging as a “team to watch out for” (via The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor).
Social media sleuths seem to think Ben Simmons was wearing a LA Lakers hat in his latest Instagram post. You be the judge … #Sixers #HereTheyCome
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Bradley Beal Comments on Simmons’ Post
One interesting blue-verified check to comment on Simmons’ Porsche post was Bradley Beal. The Washington Wizards star gave three fire emojis for the sports car.
Beal had been loosely linked to the Sixers in a trade for Simmons early in free agency, but there is a growing sentiment that he is content to stay in D.C. It would take a Damian Lillard-type package to get Beal anyway. Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell also chimed in to cheers the new ride.
Tyrese Maxey Wants to Stay in Philadelphia
Rich Paul, the shared agent of Simmons and James, made headlines last week after a report surfaced saying he wanted Tyrese Maxey out of Philadelphia. The preference was to package him and Simmons together since Paul represents Maxey as well. Hit the brakes on that proposal, though. According to Jason Dumas of Bleacher Report, Maxey has no desire to leave the Sixers and his first report was bogus. He provided a clear update to it on Sept. 1.
Update: Tyrese Maxey is excited about this upcoming year with the Sixers as is Rich Paul and the 76ers. Paul does not want Tyrese out of Philly. However, the Ben Simmons situation is totally separate.
Maxey, the second-year guard out of Kentucky, was the star of summer-league play and stands to be the starting point guard in Philly if Simmons is traded. It wouldn’t make a ton of sense to move him, especially not after more training videos popped up on Instagram showing Maxey hit multiple long-range jumpers during a pick-up game.