The Sixers are preparing to use the same strategy whether Ben Simmons is part of the team or not, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The situation is surrounded by uncertainty even after Simmons made a surprise appearance in Philadelphia Monday night, then met with management on Tuesday. He still wants to be traded and the Sixers have promised to oblige, but no traction has been reported on any potential deal.
Coach Doc Rivers is downplaying the level of distraction, telling reporters, there’s not a Plan A and Plan B depending on whether Simmons is involved. “It’s only a Plan A,” Rivers said. “What we run, you don’t change just because one guy comes on the floor.”
Simmons’ absence has left a void at point guard because he typically initiates the offense when he’s on the court. Injuries have delayed Rivers’ plans to name a starter as Tyrese Maxey, who has adductor tightness, and Shake Milton, who’s dealing with a sprained ankle, both missed Monday’s preseason game.
“Obviously, spacing is going to change with Ben out there,” Seth Curry said. “But we know how to adjust. Everybody knows how to play basketball. It’s not too different from the stuff we did last year. It’s just trying to execute stuff better.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets star James Harden confirms that he and Kevin Durant were both consulted before management reached the decision not to allow Kyrie Irving to be a part-time player, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Harden says he supports his teammate, but doesn’t want the situation to become a distraction. “Kyrie believes in his beliefs, and he stands firm and strong on that. And for us, we respect it,” Harden said. “We all love Ky. But as far as us, we have a job to do. Individually, myself, I am still wanting to set myself up for a championship. And I feel like the entire organization is on the same path and we are all in this as a collective unit.”
- Celtics coach Ime Udoka expects Jaylen Brown to be ready for opening night following a bout with COVID-19, tweets Boston writer Mark Murphy. He added that it will be a “tight timeline” for Al Horford to play.
- Rich Levine of Boston.com examines the long-term prospects for Celtics second-round pick Juhann Begarin, who will play this season in France.
One more Ben Simmons article, I swear to god…
Till he traded this won’t stop . It happen before with other players and it never stops till a trade happens
Even after the trade happens you’ll still get them.
1) How Philly players REALLY feel now that he’s gone.
2) How Simmons felt Philly treated him now that he’s traded.
3) How his new teammates feel about him.
Etc etc
Yup. That’s how it goes every time. Especially with a high profile team or player.
Perhaps just don’t read them?
John Clark NBC 10 said he was told Ben Simmons intents to return to the team and play
Anthony 97.5 midday guy said he just wants the check and him and his brother have gone Rogue
Either way this story is about to get juicer
This is just harden 2.0 and till he traded it won’t stop . Might as well save two teams and do a Ben for Irving
The Harden situation didn’t drag on nearly this long. He was traded after just 9 games last season, 43 days after the Westbrook trade. Whatever happens with Ben will have taken far longer than that.
“Harden says he supports his teammate, but doesn’t want the situation to become a distraction.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Quite possibly the funniest quote I have read in a long time.
Wasn’t it just last week that Rick Ross was still training himself back into shape from last years stripper and hot wings binge?
Who wants a part time player on your team. A Max player wants to be a part time player. This is all about Kyrie wanting attention. He wants to be the lead story. This is how he’ll get it. Do you really believe he will turn down chance to win a title without Bron. Frankly it’s looking like he will mess this up for Nets. So next it will be going to another team to win. Feel sorry for whoever takes on Kyrie. Imagine paying top money for this BS.
Ben to Kings. How long will Morey drag this out. Doesn’t his analytics tell him he’s an Insult.. I hope he gets fired. Sixers management is worse than Knicks ever was. Atleast Philly had real talent.
Haliburton, Bagley, Buddy, #1 pick …..
For Ben and Maxey and their Agent >> Bye
Ok I will not one last time. How is this Morey/Sixers problem? They haven’t done anything wrong, and they didn’t force Ben to sign the 4yr extension. So far in here, all the anti-sixers FO/management stuff has been cried over this and yet not one fact has been spoken why this is a sixers issue
How is it not a Sixers issue? Blaming Ben Simmons for this entire situation makes about as much sense as blaming just the team.
Acting like the Sixers are a well-run organization is something a total Philly homer would do, because the fact of the matter is they are one of the worst run organizations in professional sports.
@Green
This has nothing to do with how the organization is ran and everything to do with his coach and teammate hurting his feelings for being brutally honest when they probably should’ve said it behind closed doors in a more constructive way regarding Rivers comment. You have to coddle today’s players.
@green. Simmons quit on his teammates way before the playoffs last year. They tried to include him in off the court stuff, etc. he passed, then tossed Embiid under the bus. Philly media has it right, a lot of fans in here have it wrong.
@13Morgs
The only… and I mean ONLY thing the Sixers may have done wrong, is be quite frank with questions pertaining to Ben, righhhhhhhhhht after losing a crazy game 7. Had they had more time to think on it, maybe 30 minutes, the answer may have been more diplomatic. Say what you have to say in the locker room away from the media. And really, I had nothing against them saying it but this generation is different. An alpha would’ve felt they had something to disprove and used it as motivation. Ben #lightskinnedtendencies Probably listens to Drake in the dark with incense burning, alone.
The sixers did nothing wrong. They called him out for being soft. He asked to be traded, tossed everyone under the bus. The sixers said u signed the deal, and we aren’t trading u for a used basketball. I don’t see how the sixers are wrong. Still can’t figure that out.
@13
I’m basically agreeing with you.
Im@knicks. I hear u. I just don’t understand how people can say this is a sixers issue. The sixers even said we will trade u when the offers are better. Simmons camp said “not my job to fix my trade value”. Everyone is mad the sixers just didn’t give in like so many other teams with star-caliber players.
13Morgs how is this NOT related to Morey & Sixers? You often make no sense.
It could be said it wasn’t their fault. But here we have Brett Brown and Doc Rivers, hired by the Sixers. Simmons gets schemed off his spot, yeah that got noticed by one commenter here at least.
KnicksFan, you have an axe to grind. No recognition made of Simmons’ perspective. The Simmons clash began years before.
Doc Rivers has more than one offense (plan A) get real. In the playoffs it varied by guess what… the nominal PG. What a fraud.
@x%, 2lines into this point and I couldn’t read it anymore. It made no sense
13Morgs it may not be the FO’s fault, but certainly they are deep into it whether they like it or not. There is a difference in the concepts, “at fault” and “involved in it”. This is their issue, they are in charge, and are clearly on one side of it. But fault?— this is debatable. You have one perspective, I have another.
I think the FO decisions (and player agent’s advice) got them into it. Also turning down trade offers is their doing. That could still come, but they ignored the years-old Simmons grievances in fact they went backwards with him by hiring Rivers.
Simmons should have to pay a fine to force-out but the CBA assumes nobody will force-out so it does not spell it out.
KCFC tries to clear agents by blaming Simmons at every opportunity. An axe to grind; a side taken for unspoken alternative purposes.
@x%sure
I have ZERO axe to grind. I know and like Rich. I’ve never met Ben and have zero biz involving him. And having an issue with Rivers usage is ZERO reason to demand out of a 4 year deal.
@knicks. That’s all I have been saying. He signed the 4yr deal. Nobody forced him to sign it. That ends the story for the sixers. U signed it, u play until your trade value is raised. I just don’t understand how people can’t see this
I’m not addressing the Sixers’ situation, but, as far as Kyrie’s situation, he could do the same thing Wiggins did with his J&J shot, then continue to advocate from his platform that it’s wrong to fire people because of refusal to get the shot if that’s what he truly believes. The bottom line is that he was all in to go for a championship, but now he’s not. Also, he has a teammate with a heart condition. He could at least weigh the concerns of what he’s doing to his team over making this point. He will continue to get paid for road games regardless.
Dude ain’t gonna play…
1) came back to get his money
2) took a covid test so he can be IN the practice facility
3) took a physical so he can be allowed to workout in the facility
4) will do INDIVIDUAL workouts only
5) will not play or practice w the 6ers
6) is in great shape as he waits for a trade
7) team, coaches, & management know he’s not playing there anymore despite what they’re trying to spin
I suspect they expect him back, given the contract
#FreeBenSimmons
#LetKyriePlay
I am sorry to say but Mr Beard it is irrelevant how much you or BRK do focus in winning the title, without Kyrie it simply ain’t happening… so just as well, let him train & play whatever the backwater city of NY will allow him!
A straight up Kyrie for Ben trade (assuming Ben’s vaccinated and that Kyrie doesn’t retire) would be best for both teams, but it’s hard to see it happening.
Irving for Simmons is a horrible long term move for Philly
If it meant a championship it’s worth it. Could be the Kawhi move they should have done. Pretty sure Toronto is happy with their championship even tho now they aren’t as good.
It’s just uncertain what OR which Kyrie you’ll get. At face value he is better and a better fit with Jo than Simmons. Long term, yes theres no long term plan with that move.
Kyrie has to go. By staying, hes costing them huge luxury tax and repeater tax. His 2 years and 70+ mil left costs the Nets $145mil after taxes. They’ll save 17 mil or so per year if he’s only fined for missing home games, but still, no owner wants to pay 100 mil for literally nothing. He’s a complete distraction. Probably impossible to trade now too.
As far as Simmons goes, you don’t blame someone you’ve just maxed out for your entire season being a failure when he was an all star and all defense and you were the 1 seed. You particularly don’t blame your losses on him for a skill he doesn’t have, when you have been responsible for his development. You especially don’t do it to the point he is publicly trashed by teammates, fans and the city and it ruins his trade value. It’s still immature to not show up, but still, he’s paying for that. It’s his call. Philly have made it clear to him where he stands. I wouldn’t stay in my job if I was miserable there either. Kyrie for Ben may work. I don’t know if there’s even another team Kyrie could play for or fit in with. At least there’s 10 teams now who have interest in Ben.
Kyrie is done with BB and now Simmons will have to go the Harden way to get out asap of Philly …