"Our teams have always been built around his needs" - Joel Embiid surprised by reports of Ben Simmons not liking his fit with Philadelphia 76ers
The Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid saga continues to be a hot topic in the NBA even though training camp across the league is ongoing.
After Simmons’ no-show during the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day presentation, new layers of information regarding the disgruntled All-Star guard’s situation are coming out. Embiid, the 76ers’ starting center, had a very interesting revelation concerning the Simmons brouhaha.
According to a tweet by Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com, Embiid highlighted Philly’s desire to make Ben Simmons as comfortable as possible throughout all roster movements over the past few seasons. He said:
“Our teams have always been built around his needs. So it’s kind of surprising to see. Even going back to, the reason we signed Al, we got rid of Jimmy, which I still think was a mistake, just to make sure he needed the ball in his hands.”
Joel Embiid’s pleasantly candid remarks could add more fuel to the Embiid-Ben Simmons dynamic after rumors of their poor fit together made headlines. It’s a soap opera that the 76ers front office don’t want, but it could possibly hang over their heads if no significant development happens in the stand-off.
Joel Embiid, who does note the Sixers are better with Ben Simmons around, says today that report suggesting they're not a fit together is "borderline disrespectful" to other guys on the team in a wide-ranging answer https://t.co/UUeu5xtNAK
What would have been the peak of the Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons tandem with the Philadelphia 76ers?
Sadly, this is something that basketball fans will never find out. As Simmons is determined never to play for the Philadelphia 76ers again, what the duo can achieve will have to be something to include in the “What-Ifs” Hall of Fame.
If injuries to Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons had not been a common theme, the answer could have been a little clearer. The 76ers were also a miracle shot away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019. Who knows what could have happened knowing that Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained an ankle in the conference finals, while KD and Durant were taken out by ACL injuries. Again, these are scenarios that are predicated on the unknown.
Can Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid finally realize their postseason potential in a reimagined lineup? @HaleyOSomething examines the 76ers’ title odds: theringer.com/nba/2020/7/15/…
The best answer would have been uncomplicated if Ben Simmons had developed a consistent and efficient jumper. If that had been the case, the peak Embiid-Simmons combo would have been terrifying to solve. They could have been sitting at the top of the NBA for years.
Also Read: Who is Joel Embiid’s girlfriend, Anne de Paula?