Why Ben Simmons’ return could do more harm than good to the Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons could be returning to the Philadelphia 76ers. Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Klutch Sports and the Philadelphia 76ers are in discussions for the enigmatic star to join the team after a summer of confusion after Ben Simmons requested a trade from Philly. The impact from Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers' fallout is sure to trigger Philadelphia 76ers fans across the globe at the mention of Ben Simmons' name. The city is trying to move on from Simmons, and this current report will only serve to rile up fans simply looking for resolution. That all being said, a Simmons return could do more harm than anything positive. Let's delve into why that could be the case for Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Sixers officials and Klutch CEO Rich Paul have progressed in talks over recent days on a resolution to bring All-Star Ben Simmons back to Philadelphia in the near future, sources tell ESPN. Discussions are ongoing.
Klutch Sports, Daryl Morey and Elton Brand
It has been confirmed that rumors from Klutch Sports demanding that Tyrese Maxey be included in any Ben Simmons trade are false. Reporter Jason Dumas tweeted that Rich Paul "did not want Tyrese Maxey to grow roots in Philadelphia." initially before walking back his tweet.
Update: Tyrese Maxey is excited about this upcoming year with the Sixers as is Rich Paul and the 76ers. Paul does not want Tyrese out of Philly. However, the Ben Simmons situation is totally separate.
Since that falsehood was resolved, talk of Klutch Sports as some sort of NBA disrupture should cease - at least for the not-too-distant future. As the Wojo report is analyzed more thoroughly, NBA fans could be privy to new information in the relationship between Rich Paul and the Philadelphia 76ers front office. If that transpires, NBA fans could also be privy to Ben Simmons going before the mic and explaining what went down for him to have come to such a conclusion that he wanted out of Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons and fans
What most Philadelphia 76ers' fans remember prominently is Ben Simmons passing up an open dunk with Trae Young defending him in a close game in the fourth quarter. The dunk that wasn't a dunk has sent Philadelphia 76ers fans into an emotional spiral that only can be fixed by thePhiladelphia 76ers winning - this year. Joel Embiid has been the voice of the franchise this offseason, and fans simply want the best for their resident NBA superstar.
Daryl Morey and Elton Brand have been both encouraged and stealth in how they speak about Ben Simmons, and fans for the most part have been cautiously optimistic that Philadelphia 7ers brass will resolve this Ben Simmons issue accordingly. While examining how players are paid is not a monumental priority for NBA fans, the fact that Ben Simmons is guaranteed 147 million dollars over the next four years after an abysmall playoff performance will raise ire, especially in Philly.
To me, Ben Simmons has no right to be acting act the way he is right now when he's the one who passed up a wide open dunk IN A GAME 7!
He deserves all the hate he's getting from Philly fans right now. The man is making $180M for 4 years but is still unwilling to shoot. https://t.co/rX0CtYmNvg
What about Ben Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers' teammates?
Speaking to a few Philadelphia 76ers fans this morning, many spoke of how Ben Simmons threw his teammates under the bus by telling them not to fly to Los Angeles to convince Ben Simmons to return to the Philadelphia 76ers. That is a big cause for concern as the chemistry of teammates - while not required to hang out with each other off the court - matters most when teams face adversity. To say that the Philadelphia 76ers are facing adversity is an understatement. Joel Embiid seemed almost sad when addressing the media about Ben Simmons. He spoke at length at NBA Media Day and also expressed his feelings to the Philly press as training camp opened. In those words, Joel Embiid was more direct in speaking about his disappointment after a Ben Simmons report said he could no longer play with Embiid because of differences in style of play. His Philadelphia 76ers teammates have supported Ben Simmons the entire way, so if Ben Simmons is to return to the team, he has major apologizing to do for them and them in particular.
How will Ben Simmons get through this?
This will be the reality check Ben Simmons needs to understand there is a way to do things professionally in sports - especially in Philly. There is no template that is uniform in sports that dictates how a pro athlete should react to disagreements and trade requests with the front office, yet Ben Simmons' behavior in the aftermath of the Atlanta Hawks playoff loss must be addressed. He will have to endear himself to Philadelphia again, and through his play, hopefully he can smooth over what the Philadelphia 76ers fans feel about him both personally and professionally. If Ben Simmons thinks this will be an easy task, he is sorrowfully mistaken, and if he is not sincere about returning, just don't do it.
Why a Ben Simmons return won't work
I'm not sure this will work out given most will think Ben Simmons and Clutch Sports seeking resolution will be about nothing more than the fines Ben Simmons will be required to pay because of his absence. Ben Simmons has proven that loyalty amongst teammates is not true to the game in some instances, and that disloyalty is a major reason why the Philadelphia 76ers should stand firm on trading the three-time All-Star and All-NBA point guard who is also a two-time All-Defensive First Team performer. Even with a summer of disarray, Ben Simmons is the 28th ranked player in the NBA, and would surely be higher if he hadn't gone through an offseason of hell. As much as the Philadelphia 76ers would be better off having such a unique talent on the roster for the next decade, Ben Simmons has proven that he can't handle the responsibility of signing his name on a contract, or dealing with the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase that is done with him in the extreme.
Don't do it Philadelphia 76ers, don't do it.