“Threatening the prospect of 'another four years' serves no one’s interests” - NBPA’s Michele Roberts slams Daryl Morey for comments on Ben Simmons’ contract
The never-ending Ben Simmons soap opera looms over as a dark cloud over the Philadelphia 76ers' future. New twists and turns have played out in front of us on a daily basis with both the management and the players' camp going back and forth in the media.
Philadelphia 76ers top executive Daryl Morey recently chimed in with his take on the Simmons situation. He made it abundantly clear that Philly will only move the disgruntled All-Star if they can get a difference maker. The likes of Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have been earmarked as possible candidates. Morey appeared on a radio sports talk show saying that this could drag on for a long time. He speculated that it might even take four years for them to find a conclusive decision that benefits them.
Philly's stance drew praise from various quarters of the NBA world as analysts and legends alike showed that they backed Morey's comments. They affirmed that it was the right decision to make. However, the remarks seem to have evoked an irate response from the NBPA. According to Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill, Executive Director Michelle Roberts sharply criticized Daryl Morey's comments, saying that his stance does not benefit anyone. Here is what she had to say:
Really? Is it so hard to believe that Ben’s not mentally at a place to compete? Professional athletes — like the rest of us — have difficult periods in our lives that require time and energy to heal. We have and will continue to provide Ben with the support and resources he needs to work through this. Threatening the prospect of 'another four years' serves no one’s interests. Like Tobias [Harris], I say let’s respect Ben’s space and embrace him while allowing him the time to move forward.
So, take a breath and count to 10: We are all too good to continue to play this perpetual game of chicken.
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts to @YahooSports on Ben Simmons/Daryl Morey: “Threatening the prospect of 'another four years' serves no one’s interests...We are all too good to continue to play this perpetual game of chicken.” sports.yahoo.com/nba-sixers-nbp…
It's not at all surprising to see the NBPA jumping to Ben Simmons' defense, but Roberts' comments make sense. The saga is soon turning out to be a zero-sum game with one side expecting to come out as winners without attempting to find a win-win solution for both.
Can the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons find a win-win situation?
The 76ers-Ben Simmons saga looks like it will not be finding a conclusive ending anytime soon with both sides sticking firm to their stance without budging. Simmons was a key piece in the franchise's future plans before things went sideways during the 2020-21 post-season.
The All-Star felt disrespected after co-star Joel Embiid and head coach Doc Rivers threw him under the bus. This came after their disappointing playoff exit at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks last season. This prompted Ben Simmons to ask the 76ers management to trade him. His agent Rich Paul said that he did not want to be in Philly anymore, hence began the cat and mouse race with neither side coming out triumphant.
The best bet for the 76ers and Simmons is that he comes back to Philly willing to play and has a career year. That will prompt more teams to take a keen look at trading for him after his trade market was hit due to his unusual stance. The 76ers could use his aggression and defensive intensity as they go up against the likes of Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo in a stacked Eastern Conference.
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