"People can't appreciate Ben for who he really is as a player" - JJ Redick on Ben Simmons' situation with the Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons has been in the headlines since his performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. The Australian has since expressed his desire to be traded by the Philadelphia 76ers. However, given his performance and contract value, the Sixers have not been able to find many buyers for Simmons.
Ben Simmons also reported that he will not report for training camp that starts next week. NBA experts and panelists have slammed the two-time All-Star for his trade demands, as they believe he is bound to fulfill his max-contract expectations. His former teammate, JJ Redick, had his thoughts about the whole situation. Speaking about it on an episode of The Old Man and the Three show, Redick said:
"My problem with the entire situation is... I feel like at times people can't appreciate Ben for who he really is as a player. Like we can't appreciate Ben's greatness for Ben's greatness. That's not to say he's blameless in any of this, but we haven't got to a point where we are like, 'Ben is a great player. Here's what he is great at, let's just appreciate that.' We want to nitpick the things that he doesn't do that we all want him to do and I don't think it's fair to Ben."
What is the root cause of Ben Simmons' situation with the Philadelphia 76ers?
The Philadelphia 76ers finished as the top seed in the East last season. Simmons played a very important role in that run and also notched up his third All-Star selection and second NBA All-Defensive First Team selection. But as the Sixers moved into the playoff series against the Hawks, his performance dipped.
Throughout the seven games against the Hawks, Simmons averaged 9.9 points and shot a mere 33.3% from the free-throw line. His performances cost Philly dearly as they ended up losing the series in seven games. Later in the post-match press conference, coach Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid made a few statements about Simmons, which put him under a lot of media scrutiny.
"I don't know the answer to that question right now."
Doc Rivers on if Ben Simmons can be the point guard on a championship team https://t.co/JPR3xAQj9B
There is no certainty as to how the situation between Ben Simmons and the Sixers will pan out. Although Doc Rivers has come out and said he would still want to keep hold of the Australian, Simmons appears to have made up his mind about leaving the City of Brotherly Love.