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Eastern Notes: Schroder, Maxey, Joe, Bertans

November 13th, 2021 at 12:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dennis Schröder signed a one-year contract for the taxpayer mid-level exception in the hopes of building his value. So far, so good. Schröder erupted for 38 points on Friday in the Celtics’ victory over Milwaukee and elicited MVP chants from the home fans, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Schröder is averaging 20.8 PPG and 5.8 APG as a starter.

“He’s finding his way,” Celtics head coach Ime Udoka said. “He’s brought his bench role to the starting lineup. He’s been very aggressive.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

While Ben Simmons continues to sit out, Sixers second-year guard Tyrese Maxey has become one of the most popular athletes in Philadelphia. Fans were chanting “MVP!” during Thursday’s home game, according to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Maxey has piled up 64 points and nine assists while committing just two turnovers over the last two games. “I appreciate the Philly fans, of course,” Maxey said. “They’re always behind us.”
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.
Wizards forward Davis Bertans is a week away from returning to action, coach Wes Unseld Jr. told Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link) and other media members on Friday. Bertans has done more shooting drills in recent days. He has been out since November 1 with a sprained left ankle.

Sixers Notes: Expanded Rotation, Drummond, Embiid, Simmons

November 9th, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but they’re starting to feel the effects of a depleted roster, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Joel Embiid‘s positive COVID-19 test was the latest challenge for a team that is already playing without Ben Simmons and has seen Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and Isaiah Joe also sidelined by the virus.

The result has been an increased workload for the remaining rotation players, which is raising concerns about fatigue. Tonight’s game against the Bucks will be the second of a back-to-back, and coach Doc Rivers said he plans to use at least 10 players. Neubeck expects Jaden Springer and two-way player Aaron Henry to both see action, but probably not Charles Bassey, who has only played seven total minutes this season.

There’s more on the Sixers:

Andre Drummond, who was signed over the summer to be Embiid’s backup, turned in his best game of the season Monday night, Neubeck adds. Drummond collected 25 rebounds in a loss to the Knicks, becoming the first Sixer to reach that total in 34 years. He played more than 38 minutes, but doesn’t seem fazed by the increased workload. “Sleep, sleep as much as we can,” Drummond said. “Take care of our bodies, ice, compress our knees. Guys that have played a lot of games know how to take care of their body. I’ve played a long time, we know what it takes to sustain our bodies for the rest of the year.”
Because Embiid is symptomatic for COVID-19, there are concerns that his absence could stretch beyond the normal 10 days, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that Embiid has historically found it difficult to stay in shape when not playing, so having him out of the lineup could impact the Sixers well into the future. “Obviously, this is an extreme case without Joel,” Rivers said. “We didn’t anticipate this. But, we do have a bona fide starting center. And that helps us for sure.”
Philadelphia has reportedly talked to at least 10 teams about trading for Simmons, but sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report there have been “very few firm offers.” Most of the talks have involved setting up two-team and three-team frameworks that the Sixers might accept, but president of basketball operations Daryl Morey hasn’t dropped his insistence on receiving a star player in return.

Sixers Notes: Simmons, Embiid, Niang

November 8th, 2021 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After initially resisting, Ben Simmons has now met with a team-recommended specialist to discuss mental health concerns, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links). The Sixers had recently reinstituted fines for Simmons’ reluctance to meet with team doctors, among other issues. Simmons plans to continue working out at the practice facility and meeting with his NBPA-provided mental health specialist. He has yet to make his debut and there’s no timetable for his return.

We have more on the Sixers:

Joel Embiid is experiencing symptoms in his bout with COVID-19, Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice tweets. “He’s not doing great, he’s struggling with it, very similar to Tobias (Harris),” coach Doc Rivers said. Reports surfaced on Monday morning that the star center had been placed under the league’s health and safety protocols.
Embiid has been pleasantly surprised by reserve big man Georges Niang, Lauren Rosen tweets. The former Utah forward, signed as a free agent this summer, is averaging a career-best 11.9 PPG in 22.7 MPG. “I used to think he sucked, honestly,” Embiid said. “Obviously, on this team he’s doing way more than (shooting 3s). What I’m impressed with is he’s a competitor. He brings so much joy to all of us, on and off the court. I’m just glad I have him.”
The franchise has gained more leverage in the Simmons situation, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. The team’s hot start shows Simmons that they can win without him, which could force the disgruntled guard’s hand. Tyrese Maxey and Niang have more than filled Simmons’ void and he’s now faced with the prospect of sitting out for months.

Joel Embiid Tests Positive For COVID-19

November 8th, 2021 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

11:52am: Embiid has tested positive for COVID-19 and is expected to miss several games, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

11:30am: Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was scheduled to be rested for Monday’s game vs. New York, has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Embiid is the fourth Sixers player to enter the league’s protocols so far this season, joining Tobias Harris, Isaiah Joe, and Matisse Thybulle. If he has tested positive for COVID-19, the All-NBA center will miss at least a handful of games.

While Embiid’s troublesome right knee could perhaps benefit from a week or two of rest, it’s still an unfortunate turn of events for an increasingly short-handed 76ers team. Besides having four players in the health and safety protocols, Philadelphia has been missing Danny Green (hamstring) for the last three games and is playing without All-Star guard Ben Simmons.

Despite all the absences, the Sixers have been the best team in the Eastern Conference so far this season, with an 8-2 record. With Embiid sidelined, the club figures to turn to Andre Drummond as its starting center for the short term.

Tobias Harris Tests Positive For COVID-19

November 3rd, 2021 at 11:50am CST by Dana Gauruder

NOVEMBER 3: Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter), in order to return to the court, a player who tests positive has to either wait 10 days after his initial positive test (or the onset of symptoms) or register two consecutive negative PCR tests 24 hours apart. He also has to pass cardiac tests before being cleared.

NOVEMBER 1: Sixers high-scoring forward Tobias Harris is out for their game against Portland on Monday due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets.

A timetable for Harris’ return should be established in the next 12-24 hours, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Shams Charania of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Harris will likely miss a few games.

The Sixers have already produced plenty of drama early this season due to the ongoing Ben Simmons saga. Simmons has yet to play this season and Joel Embiid is resting a sore knee. Embiid had an MRI on Sunday which revealed no major concerns, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link), and is expected to return to action on Wednesday.

Harris is averaging 19.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 4.2 APG through six games this season. Furkan Korkmaz will start in his place.

Harris is the second prominent player placed under the league’s health and safety protocols on Monday. Cleveland’s Kevin Love is expected to miss several games for that reason.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Simmons, Morey, Maxey

October 27th, 2021 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid has been slowed by pain in his right knee and wasn’t able to walk for two days after hurting it in the season opener last Wednesday, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Shelburne made the comments during an appearance on NBA Today (video link), adding that Embiid is determined to continue playing because Ben Simmons isn’t available.

Embiid has appeared in all four of Philadelphia’s games, although he’s averaging career lows so far with 19.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per night. Simmons told the team last week that he’s not mentally ready to play, and it’s uncertain when he might return.

Embiid is also trying to lead by example and is motivated by his second-place finish in last season’s MVP race, Shelburne adds. He appeared in just 51 games in 2020/21, which was one of the arguments some voters made for not supporting him.

Embiid suffered a small meniscus tear in his right knee during the first round of the playoffs, but was able to continue playing until the Sixers were eliminated. The pain flared up after he banged knees with Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas last week, and Shelburne said there’s a feeling that “maybe he should sit a game or two” to help relieve it.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey said this week that “things seem to be moving very much in a positive direction” with Simmons (video link). He added that the team is working with Simmons to provide “every resource to help him with what is needed.”
Until the Simmons situation is resolved, it will loom as a threat to team chemistry, contends Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons still prefers to be traded, and the rotation is likely to undergo a shakeup whenever that happens. There are also players on the roster who could be headed elsewhere in a Simmons deal. “There’s obviously uncertainty,” Tobias Harris said. “Personally myself, I look at all of the uncertainty as a positive of what could happen. And in reality, the biggest thing is to just stay in the moment.”
Tyrese Maxey is experiencing “growing pains” as he tries to handle the lead guard role in Simmons’ absence, Pompey adds. Maxey is a combo guard who isn’t used to running the offense, and he didn’t have an assist until the fourth quarter in Tuesday night’s loss to the Knicks.

Eastern Notes: Barnes, Embiid, Ball, Caruso, Pistons

October 24th, 2021 at 6:58pm CST by JD Shaw

Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes impressed during his first back-to-back slate on Friday and Saturday, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes. Barnes was used as the primary defender against Boston’s Jayson Tatum in game one, then was given the assignment of guarding Dallas’ Luka Doncic in game two.

“It’s a challenge that I’m willing to take each and every night,” Barnes said of guarding the NBA’s top players, according to Lewenberg. “It’s what I look forward to.”

The 6’9″ Barnes was drafted by Toronto with the No. 4 pick in July. He has averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game during his first three contests, starting in every outing.

Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:

Sixers coach Doc Rivers isn’t concerned by Joel Embiid‘s recent knee injury, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Embiid managed to play in Philadelphia’s loss against Brooklyn on Friday, recording 19 points (6-of-15 shooting) and eight rebounds in nearly 30 minutes of work.
Bulls guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso have been bringing chaos defensively, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times examines. The pair’s strong defensive effort is a key reason why Chicago is 3-0 to start the season. “(Ball and Caruso are) so active (defensively) you’ve got to be aware of them,’’ LaVine said, as relayed by Cowley. “Even for guys like me and DeMar DeRozan), it helps us be in the passing lanes more, get some extra rebounds because then guys’ rhythm is off. They’re effort and energy bleeds throughout us as a team.’’
Rod Beard of The Detroit News examines the positives and negatives of the Pistons‘ start to the campaign. Detroit is 0-2 and dropped both contests to Chicago, having been held to 88 points and 82 points, respectively. The Pistons finished with the worst record in the East last season at 20-52.

Sixers Notes: Roberts, Simmons, Morey, Embiid

October 23rd, 2021 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBPA executive director Michele Roberts is defending Ben Simmons against accusations that he might be claiming psychological issues as an excuse to avoid playing, writes Liz Roscher of Yahoo Sports. Simmons told his Sixers teammates and coach Doc Rivers on Friday that’s he’s not mentally ready to start playing for the team again. That prompted skeptics to question Simmons’ motives since he claimed a medical issue with back tightness earlier this week.

Roberts threw her support behind Simmons and blasted Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey for suggesting that it could take a long time to find an acceptable trade, possibly even the four years that Simmons has left on his contract.

“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,” Roberts said. “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.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Morey has called around the league in an effort to work out a trade for Simmons, but he hasn’t contacted the Nets to inquire about Kyrie Irving, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Friday on “NBA Countdown” (video link). Woj adds that Brooklyn GM Sean Marks has accepted calls about Irving, but he hasn’t reached out to other teams about the star guard, who is inactive because of vaccination issues.
At a team meeting on Friday, Joel Embiid asked Simmons why he wants to be traded, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Simmons responded that he isn’t feeling like himself mentally and needs some time away from the team. Harris and other team leaders expressed support for Simmons, sources tell Charania.
Soreness in his right knee is already an issue for Embiid, per Tim Bontemps and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Embiid was having trouble moving on Friday after a collision in the season opener, but he intends to continue playing if the pain doesn’t get worse. “I mean, after last game, that was a pretty good hit by the big fella, but we’ll see how it feels tomorrow, but I’m not planning on sitting,” he said. “I want to keep playing as long as there’s not any big damage on it.”

Sixers Surprised By Timing Of Ben Simmons’ Return

October 12th, 2021 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Sixers had become increasingly optimistic about the possibility of Ben Simmons reporting to Philadelphia, they’d expected it to happen sometime later this week, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who says the club was surprised to see Simmons return to the arena on Monday to take his mandatory COVID-19 test.

“All of the sudden, near the opening tip tonight of that Brooklyn/Philly preseason game, I’m told that (general manager) Elton Brand gets a text message essentially saying, ‘Hey, Ben’s outside the building, he needs to get in and come take his COVID test,'” Wojnarowski said during an appearance on Sportscenter on Monday night (video link). “And that’s how the Sixers found out that Ben Simmons – after two weeks away in the preseason – had returned to Philadelphia.”

Simmons’ holdout may be over, but it remains to be seen what exactly comes next for him and the team, according to Wojnarowski, who says it’s unclear whether the three-time All-Star plans to “merely report to team or truly rejoin the team.”

A league source recently told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that Simmons still doesn’t intend to play in a game for the 76ers, but head coach Doc Rivers remains optimistic about getting the 25-year-old back on the court.

“We’ve said from Day 1 what we wanted,” Rivers said before Monday’s game. “That we would love to get him back. … My guess is if and when he comes, I think he will be ready to play.”

Sources tell Wojnarowski that there’s an expectation Simmons will meet with franchise leadership on Tuesday at the team’s practice facility. The discussions that take place during that meeting should help determine the next steps for the two sides.

Here’s more on the situation:

Pompey provides a few more interesting details in his report, writing that Simmons has officially put both of his Philadelphia-area residences up for sale and noting that Sixers fans in the nosebleed section on Monday chanted, “(Expletive) Ben Simmons!” late in the game.
If Simmons is willing to reintegrate with the Sixers, his camp and the club are expected to discuss the possibility of him recouping some of the money he lost when he was fined for missed practices and games over the last couple weeks, per Wojnarowski.
The 76ers haven’t come close to finding a trade they like for Simmons and don’t have any traction on a deal at this point, sources tell ESPN. However, Wojnarowski acknowledges the trade market could “shift quickly” once the regular season gets underway.
Asked on Monday about Simmons’ potential return, star center Joel Embiid, who admitted he hadn’t talked to his All-Star teammate over the offseason, provided the following response, per Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com: “It’s unfortunate the whole situation happened, but we’re a better team with him on the floor. I think there are going to be some adjustments, but it doesn’t need to be awkward. We are professionals, we want to win. I want to win. He gives me the best chance to win, so that’s what I’m going to go with. But as far as coming back and all that, we’ve made a few adjustments, and he’s just got to come in and buy in and we’re going to be fine. Last year we were the No. 1 seed. You just got to buy in and we’re going to be fine.”

Six Teams Still Inquiring About Simmons’ Availability

October 2nd, 2021 at 9:10am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves, Pacers, Cavaliers, Pistons, Raptors and Spurs continue to inquire about Ben Simmons’ availability, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports via a league source.

The Simmons saga is one of the major storylines of this preseason and it took another twist on Friday when reports surfaced that the Sixers were withholding an $8.25MM advance payment from their disgruntled playmaker.

However, as Pompey points out, this standoff could drag on until after December 15, when many free agents signed this summer can be included in trades.

The Sixers have put an exorbitant price tag on Simmons, in part while waiting to see if the Trail Blazers made Damian Lillard available or if the Wizards were willing to part with Bradley Beal. Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, tried to assist the Sixers in receiving a five-player package for Simmons in a three-team trade but Philadelphia’s asking price was too rich, according to Pompey.

The withheld salary has been placed in an escrow account. Simmons is likely to receive all the money in his contract once he’s traded, Pompey notes, since it’s expected the team that acquires him will waive the fines the Sixers have instituted for his refusal to show up for training camp.

The Inquirer’s beat writer explored the standoff in great detail. Here are some highlights:

Simmons’ desire to be traded was communicated to the front office just days after the team was eliminated from the playoffs. Paul told GM Elton Brand his client wanted out three days after the Hawks bounced the team out of the playoff chase. Brand then told president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
When the Sixers asked why Simmons wanted out, Paul told them his client was “mentally exhausted,” says Pompey.
When Morey was hired last November, Simmons suspected he wouldn’t be with the franchise long-term. He was the centerpiece in trade talks with Morey’s former team, Houston, in the Sixers’ failed attempt to acquire James Harden. Simmons even went house shopping in Houston in anticipation of being dealt.
Simmons doesn’t have any ill will toward his All-Star teammate Joel Embiid, but believes their partnership on the court has “run its course.” Even if he does return to Philadelphia to rejoin the team, Simmons has no intentions of playing another game for the Sixers.