"Until they figure out what to do with Ben Simmons" - Charles Barkley on when Philadelphia 76ers can be considered title contenders from the Eastern Conference
Former NBA legend Charles Bakley doesn't consider the Philadelphia 76ers "true contenders" until they figure out the Ben Simmons situation. The Australian point guard has refused to play for the team this season after receiving scrutiny for his dismal performances during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Simmons was frequently mentioned in trade rumors following the Sixers' surprise second-round exit at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks. He was expected to move this season, but Daryl Morey and Co. have taken their time with this piece of business. They have been looking for a package similar to what the Houston Rockets received for James Harden.
Teams interested haven't been willing to offload their star players in exchange for Ben Simmons. He is yet to make his season debut, despite being spotted practicing with the Philadelphia 76ers on multiple occasions.
As per recent reports, the Sixers could opt to wait until the end of the season to see if they can use Simmons in a potential deal for superstar-caliber players like James Harden or Bradley Beal.
Former league MVP, Charles Barkley, who now works as an analyst for TNT, believes the Philadelphia 76ers need to deal with Simmons' situation to earn contender status in the Eastern Conference. Here's what he said regarding this on the NBA on TNT show on Thursday:
"There's not one guy on TV, going to tell you right now that the 76ers are the team to beat in the East no matter where they finish (in the standings). It's going to go through Brooklyn and Milwaukee. As much as I love what the Bulls are doing, and what the Heat are doing, it's going through Milwaukee and Brooklyn."
Barkley continued:
"I feel so bad for Joel Embiid, this guy is playing better than anybody in the NBA and it's not even going to matter because until they figure out what to do with Ben Simmons, the Sixers are not true contenders."
"Until they figure out what to do with Ben Simmons, the Sixers are not true contenders."
Chuck gives his take on the Sixers being a contender in the East. https://t.co/yDcS8QprYU
Philadelphia 76ers remain in contention to earn the top spot in Eastern Conference despite Ben Simmons' absence
The Philadelphia 76ers have surprisingly done well to stay in the hunt to earn a high-seeding in the Eastern Conference standings. They have managed to do so despite playing without their second star, Ben Simmons, this campaign. They improved to 29-19 for the campaign following their latest win against the LA Lakers, rising to fifth spot, just two games behind the Miami Heat.
Joel Embiid continued his fine form, tallying 26 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two blocks to help his side register a 105-87 win. Embiid has played exceptionally well overall this year. He has scored 29 points per game, the third-highest tally in the league behind Lakers' LeBron James and Nets' Kevin Durant. The Cameroonian center is also a hot favorite to win his first MVP award.
"To be the MVP, you know my focus is on winning."
@JoelEmbiid tells @TurnerSportsEJ what he has to focus on in order to win the MVP trophy this season. https://t.co/1MvguzxmQg
The Philadelphia 76ers will need him to continue delivering the goods consistently to have a healthy chance of achieving a top-four finish. It will be interesting to see how far they can go in the absence of an All-Star like Ben Simmons come playoff time.