The soap opera about the future of Ben Simmons is up for sentencing. The player has communicated to the offices of the Philadelphia 76ers his desire to leave the team and will not appear at the franchise’s training camp for the start of the 2021-22 season, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
From the same media they point out that Simmons transferred his decision to the 76ers co-manager, Josh Harris, president Daryl Morey, the general manager Elton Brand and the head coach Doc Rivers during a meeting last week in Los Angeles. In it, he also reported that his posture is immovable even if he is fined for his absence from the training field.
Simmons had been one of the main singles after completing the elimination of the 76ers in the Conference Semifinals at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks. His lack of confidence and poor shooting percentages weighed down his team’s production to the point of receiving indirect criticism from teammates like Joel Embiid or Rivers himself.
Since then, the situation has followed a path full of rumors and increasingly forceful information about its future. The first one referred to an apparent offer from the Indiana Pacers that was rejected. Little by little other candidates such as Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings or Cleveland Cavaliers were incorporated.
However, the high claims of the 76ers ‘leadership and doubts about Simmons’ adjustment pushed some of the teams back. In addition, the long duration of the current contract (146.7 million dollars until 2025) of the player invited not to close an operation urgently. Now, this scenario has completely changed after this new leak, which will probably devalue its market price. The ball is now in the 76ers’ court.
(Cover photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
