- Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Sixers coach Doc Rivers isn’t panicking about the team’s five game losing streak. “There’s nobody here worried,” Rivers said. “It’s just a long season. When you have the injuries that we have and the games that we’ve played … listen, I want to win every game. But I do understand what we’re under right now, too.”
This Thursday (November 18) is the earliest that Joel Embiid could return after his stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer said on the HoopsHype Podcast with Michael Scotto that the Sixers center will likely be out a little longer than that.
As Pompey explains, Embiid was symptomatic after contracting COVID-19 and “hasn’t been doing anything basketball-wise” during his absence, so he’ll likely need some time to ramp back up and get game-ready. While Pompey acknowledges it’s possible the All-NBA big man is back in the lineup on Thursday, he thinks it’s more likely to happen on Saturday or sometime next week.
[UPDATE: Embiid has been ruled out for Thursday’s game, tweets Pompey.]
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Pompey also told Scotto that Matisse Thybulle (health and safety protocols) should be back by next week, if not sooner. Head coach Doc Rivers didn’t offer any real specifics on Tuesday when asked by reporters about potential return dates for Embiid and Thybulle, as Pompey tweets.
- Ben Simmons was, of course, a popular topic of conversation during Pompey’s appearance on the HoopsHype Podcast. During that discussion, Pompey said he still believes Simmons has played his last game as a Sixer, but trade talks appear to be “on pause” for now. Scotto said he has heard from some executives that the 76ers’ hot start without Simmons may have hurt the 25-year-old’s value a little in the eyes of potential suitors. “When you lose a star player, you typically struggle, but Philadelphia coming out of the gate, was leading the Eastern Conference,” Scotto said, noting the team has slumped since Embiid was sidelined.
- Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com takes an in-depth look at where the Simmons situation stands. Within his column, Neubeck argues there’s an inherent contradiction between agent Rich Paul‘s claim that negative publicity is hurting Simmons’ mental health and Klutch Sports’ apparent willingness to wage a PR battle by leaking details of the standoff to media outlets.
- As Pompey writes for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Isaiah Joe said that he experienced some symptoms of COVID-19, including loss of smell, during his time in the health and safety protocols, but is feeling better now. Joe played on Tuesday for the first time since November 3, logging a season-high 24 minutes in Philadelphia’s blowout loss in Utah.
The Sixers continue to penalize Ben Simmons for a failure to participate in team-related activities, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link), who reports that Philadelphia is fining the three-time All-Star for not joining the team on its current six-game road trip.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, confirming Charania’s report, notes that Simmons will lose $2.16MM in game checks alone, assuming the Sixers fine him for missing all six games on the road trip. That number would increase if he receives additional fines for missing practices, meetings, and other team activities.
Simmons and the Sixers remain at odds over his status. He has told the club he’s not mentally ready to play and reportedly believes Philadelphia is trying to force him back onto the court. The 76ers have maintained that, even if he’s not yet ready to play, the 25-year-old should be preparing to return to action by participating in practices, shootarounds, and other team activities, unless mental health experts say he’s unable to do so.
Simmons’ maximum-salary contract would typically pay him $33MM+ this season, but he has already lost a chunk of that salary — each time the Sixers have fined him for missing a game, it has cost him 1/91.6th of his salary, or about $360K. Given the mental health factor, I’d expect Simmons and his camp to eventually try to recoup some of that lost money via an arbitration process.
For the time being, there’s no end to the standoff in sight.
Should disgruntled Sixers point guard Ben Simmons rejoin his Philadelphia teammates without the proper attitude, the feel-good vibes of the team’s 8-6 season start could take a hit, opines Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons has yet to suit up this season, hoping for a trade out of town.
“I don’t think that’s something we thought about yet,” swingman Danny Green said of a potential Simmons-Sixers reunion this year. “We don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon. But it’s something that hasn’t really crossed our minds yet.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- With the Knicks set to play their next three contests at Madison Square Garden, Tommy Beer of Basketball News writes that they have an opportunity to improve the shaky chemistry that has led to the club going 2-4 in its last six games. Starters Julius Randle and RJ Barrett have struggled lately. Beer adds that playing at home will allow for head coach Tom Thibodeau to hold more practices than are possible on the road, which could help the Knicks kick-start their energy.
- To help improve the on-court performance of the Knicks‘ starting five, head coach Tom Thibodeau opted to give his starters stricter set plays and less improvisational optionality in a productive practice today, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “The first thing you ask [is] are we playing hard enough and executing properly?” Thibodeau said. “If what we’re doing is not good enough, that’s when you change… In all fairness to Julius [Randle] and [starting point guard Kemba Walker], because of who they are, they probably get the brunt of what’s going on. The reality is we have to play well together as a group. It’s not one, two guys. We can say new guys, old guys. We can say first unit, second unit.”
- Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum is struggling through one of his worst-ever shooting stretches, prompting Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe to consider the possible cause of the issue and potential solutions. Tatum currently has a career-worst shooting line of .388/.322/.742.
Dave Joerger, who serves as Doc Rivers’ top assistant with the Sixers, is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for Stage 1 “head and neck” cancer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. He will be away from the team for several weeks.
The 47-year-old has been getting treated over the past two weeks and has missed just one road game. However, with the Sixers starting a five-game West Coast swing, Joerger has to remain in Philadelphia.
He broke the news to players, other assistants and staff members following tonight’s game in Indiana. Prior to that, only Rivers, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and owner Josh Harris were aware of his diagnosis.
“We have caught it early,” Joerger said. “I’m very lucky. I’ve got over a 90% chance of cure rate, but it’s very scary and it’s not enjoyable going through. …I can’t go on the road and do radiation and chemotherapy in different cities around the country. To continue my treatment, I need to step away from the team.”
During an appearance on Wojnarowski’s podcast, Joerger explained that he felt a lump in his throat 15 months ago and told his doctor in Memphis. A scan was negative, but the lump didn’t go away, so he called the doctor again last month.
“I stare at my face every morning when I shave and I’m very sensitive … that I know that (the lump’s) there,” Joerger said. “…We do another scan, and it’s one of those days that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. We were in Toronto, and he texted me and said: ‘We need to talk. Let’s just get it done right now.'”
Joerger said he’s going public with his condition to encourage other people to pursue early cancer detection. He also thanked the Sixers for supporting him and allowing him to be away from the team for as long as necessary.
- Isaiah Joe has cleared protocols and will join the Sixers in Indiana for Saturday’s game, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. He is expected to go through a workout pregame and is questionable to play, Pompey adds. Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle remain under those health and safety protocols.
Ben Simmons feels like the Sixers are trying to force his return to the court no matter how he feels mentally, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Simmons met with the team’s therapist for the first time on Monday, after the team resumed fining him last week. He was previously unwilling to discuss his mental health with any team doctors.
Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, says the team’s actions have worsened his client’s mental health.
“I truly believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity shined on the issue — that’s very unnecessary and has furthered the mental health issues for Ben,” Paul said. “Either you help Ben, or come out and say he’s lying. Which one is it?”
A Sixers official told Charania that the team was “absolutely not” trying to force Simmons to play, nor are they claiming that he’s lying. The team’s stance is that Simmons should participate in all Sixers activities unless the team’s therapist or Simmons’ personal specialists report that he is incapable of playing or practicing.
The official emphasized that, as of this evening, the Sixers had not been presented with information that would prevent Simmons from fully participating with the team.
Charania relays that the Sixers sent Simmons a schedule Thursday that included tonight’s game against the Raptors, which the Sixers lost 115-109. Simmons did not play in the game. The team has fined him each time this has occurred previously, so another fine could be imminent.
Paul says Simmons is open to playing for the Sixers again, but he’s not mentally ready to return to the court yet.
“In this case, we have to get Ben help and not put finances above mental health,” Paul said. “As an agent, I understand contractual obligations and I hold myself accountable in this business. But if someone is telling you something, we can no longer turn a blind eye in today’s world.
“This is no longer about a trade. This is about finding a place where we can help Ben get back to his mental strength and get back on the floor. I want him on the floor playing the game that he loves. I want Ben on the floor whether that’s in a 76ers uniform or any other uniform, that’s not up to me, but I want him in a state where he can resume play. We want to cooperate and want to work him back on the floor.”
Team officials say they’re happy to hear that Simmons is open to playing for the Sixers again, per Charania. They welcome his return to the lineup. They also insist that they’ve shown good faith through the entire process, including offering any assistance Simmons has needed.
Simmons will continue meeting with the team’s therapist and has given permission for the therapist to confidentially discuss his treatment with Simmons’ own personal specialists.
Paul says he holds no hard feelings with Sixers ownership, management, or the city of Philadelphia, he just wants what’s best for his client.
“I don’t think the 76ers are a bad organization. Josh Harris and David Blitzer are great governors, they’ve done a great job with the organization. I have respect for (president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey,” Paul said. “Ben has a mental issue, let’s support him. I’m happy he got to a place where he realized and accepted help. I understand it’s a business, but even in business, you need humanity.
“I have a great level of respect and love for the city of Philadelphia, as someone who loves the game, but this isn’t about that. This is about Ben getting back to a place mentally where he can be back on the floor — and only Ben can tell us when that is. We have to allow him to do that.”
- With Sixers star Joel Embiid sidelined with COVID-19, it’s Andre Drummond‘s time to shine, opines Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey believes that Drummond, a free agent signing on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, has already proven to be a clear upgrade over Dwight Howard, Embiid’s replacement last season. Drummond is averaging 15 points, 20 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game in three starts this season.
- Sixers guard Shake Milton has given the team a boost since returning from a sprained ankle, according to Gina Mizell of the Inquirer. Milton has shown a willingness to play multiple roles and is competing harder on defense. “However it comes, I think I’m going to be prepared,” Milton said. “My mentality every game is to come in and bring the team energy, pick up full court, play-make on offense, guard my guy on defense and do whatever I can to help the team win.”
- Tobias Harris has missed the team’s last six games due to a positive COVID-19 test, but Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said on Tuesday that the veteran forward is doing better and should return sooner rather than later, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. Harris is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game vs. Toronto — if he’s unable to play tonight, he’s probably a good bet to be back on Saturday.
A report stating that the Celtics have interest in Ben Simmons prompted Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe to explore whether Boston should aggressively pursue a deal for Simmons, and Jay King and Rich Hofmann of The Athletic to discuss whether the 25-year-old would make the C’s a better team.
Simmons’ play-making ability would make him an intriguing fit for the Celtics and Washburn hears from a league source that the three-time All-Star would be interested in coming to Boston. However, the general sense is that it would be very difficult for the two division rivals to find an agreement that works for both sides. The Sixers are unlikely to accept an offer that doesn’t include Jaylen Brown, whereas the Celtics are unlikely to include Brown in any offer.
In fact, multiple league sources who spoke to Brian Robb of MassLive.com were “adamant” that the Celtics don’t have any interest in moving Brown at all, either for Simmons or in any other deal. I’m sure Boston would reconsider that stance if a player a tier above Brown became available, but presumably the team doesn’t view Simmons as that sort of player.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- The Celtics intend to keep Dennis Schröder in their starting lineup while Brown recovers from his hamstring strain in order to have Josh Richardson and the club’s young wings remain in their bench roles, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
- Besides wanting to get back to the playoffs, Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has a series of individual goals that he’d like to achieve, as he said on The Raptors Show with Will Lou (link via Sportsnet.ca).“I definitely would like to be an All-Star,” VanVleet said. “I want to win all the awards. I want to be All-Defensive … Those are all goals that I have. The good thing for me is that I probably won’t achieve any of those if we aren’t a good team or a top team.”
- Raptors forward Isaac Bonga has accepted a G League assignment, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links). Because he’s in his fourth NBA season, Bonga had to sign off on being sent to the NBAGL. The 22-year-old has only logged seven minutes across three games in Toronto so far, but should get a chance to play a starring role for the Raptors 905 when they open their season on Thursday.
- The Nets recalled center Nicolas Claxton from the G League on Tuesday, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Despite being back with Brooklyn, Claxton has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game and there’s still no indication he’s closer to returning from the illness that has sidelined him since October 25.