"I thought my name was Charles Barkley Son of a B**ch for a long time when I was there" – Barkley on why Philly fans' ruthlessness can be factor for Ben Simmons trade
The Ben Simmons saga in Philadelphia has gotten out of hand, and Sixers legend Charles Barkley has given his take on the matter.
Simmons has yet to play a game this season, and the Philadelphia 76ers are struggling to win games without the point guard. After consistently finishing in the top three of the Eastern Conference for the past few years, they are sixth in the standings.
Many analysts don't consider Philadelphia as a title contender, and Joel Embiid's prime years are getting wasted because of the drama surrounding Simmons.
Barkley gave an interview with TMZ Sports where he addressed the ugly situation with his former franchise. When asked about Simmons' future with the franchise, the Hall of Famer said he will not play a game for the team this season and that rambunctious fans will not forgive him.
"Ben Simmons never gonna play in Philly again," Barkley said. "The fans will never forgive him. … I know those fans well. I thought my name was Charles Barkley Son of a B**ch for a long time when I was there."
Charles Barkley Says Sixers Need To Trade Ben Simmons, 'Stop Being Stubborn'
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The Philadelphia 76ers have made it clear they will not trade Simmons for a talent below an All-Star pedigree. They need someone who can contribute to a title run instantly, and settling for picks and subpar players will not happen. On the other hand, the Australian guard has also explicitly mentioned he is ready to miss the entire season.
Charles Barkley calls the Philadelphia 76ers "stubborn" and asks them to trade Ben Simmons
Many analysts and fans are upset with the situation in Philadelphia. What was once a title-contending team is now fighting to avoid the play-in tournament because one All-Star player, Ben Simmons, has demanded a trade.
Ben Simmons has been uncooperative and his refusal to play any game has hampered the Sixers' chances of lifting a championship trophy. One also has to wonder how long Joel Embiid will tolerate the mess before demanding a trade himself or forcing the front office to get rid of Simmons.
Embiid is playing at an MVP level once again, averaging 32 points, 10 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting on 53/39/84 splits in his last 15 games.
Philadelphia (25-18) is 2.5 games out of first place in a crowded Eastern Conference race. The 76ers have won 10 of their past 13 games. They are far from the rough patch of the season when they went 2-7 after Embiid was out after testing positive for COVID-19 in November.
Analyst Charles Barkley agreed that Embiid's prime years are being squandered over a squabble that should have resolved itself by now. In the TMZ Sports interview, Barkley said:
"They have to make a trade. ... You have to move on from a bad relationship. They're not using him, and Joel Embiid has been playing great this year, so they're wasting his talents."
It's appearing increasingly likely that the standoff between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers won't be resolved by the NBA's Feb. 10 trade deadline trib.al/ZnAQQ80
The Philadelphia 76ers need to make a serious move before the trade deadline and compromise on All-Star talent or else this season might be a waste. Not many expect them to beat teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and other top East contenders with the roster that they have right now.