If you follow the NBA, you have probably heard a lot about Ben Simmons over the past few months. After the Philadelphia 76ers lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, rumors swirled that the 76ers were shopping the All-Star point guard. Shortly after this, Simmons requested a trade.
Despite Simmons request, he remains on Philadelphia’s roster. The 76ers have reportedly been asking for a large trade package in return for Simmons and have not budged on their asking price. However, this may change soon as Simmons continues to be a distraction.
In an effort to force his way out of Philadelphia, Simmons held out of training camp which proved to be a costly decision. The team has fined Simmons $1.4 million for his absence in the preseason and undisclosed amounts of additional fines for missed practices, team meetings, and workouts. Simmons finally returned to the team on October 11th with no warning. Although Simmons has returned, he might as well not be there. Videos showing Simmons practicing with a phone in his pocket and disregarding the team huddle got the internet talking earlier on Monday.
https://twitter.com/JeffEisenband/status/1450185217113825289
Yesterday, the 76ers announced they suspended Simmons for the season opener for “conduct detrimental to the team.” Simmons reportedly refused to participate in several drills despite being asked directly by head coach Doc Rivers. Rivers then sent Simmons home, and the team suspended him shortly after. While Rivers remains confident that Simmons will eventually buy back into the team, Simmons’ teammates and fans aren’t so sure.
Over the past 24 hours, Simmons has garnered 254,119 mentions on social media. Of these, 82.4% are negative. Simply put, 76ers fans are fed up with Ben Simmons. The entire NBA community is discussing Simmons led by the state of Pennsylvania which has accounted for the most mentions of any state at 12,040. The conversation is being dominated by male social media users age 18-35.
If having the fans turn on Simmons wasn’t bad enough, Joel Embiid has too. Embiid is the cornerstone of the 76ers franchise and regarded by many to be one of the best players in the league. Embiid kept it real with reporters yesterday when asked about Simmons.
"At this point I don't care about that man, honestly. He does whatever he wants."
–Joel Embiid on Ben Simmons pic.twitter.com/XELROkUphX
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 19, 2021
Some NBA fans on Twitter are getting the popcorn ready as they watch the drama between the 76ers and Simmons unfold. Others are questioning if Simmons is even talented enough to be behaving like this.
watching ben simmons & the sixers go at it pic.twitter.com/zatcMUKwFA
— buckets (@buckets) October 19, 2021
Why Ben Simmons moving like he avrg 32.7 a game😭😭
— Flight (@Flight23White) October 19, 2021
#NBATwitter is having a field day with the jokes.
Doc Rivers: Ben, join this defensive drill.
Ben Simmons: https://t.co/rRT94laqew
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 19, 2021
How Ben Simmons walked into Sixers practice this morning pic.twitter.com/I0JmMTau0G
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 19, 2021
Ben Simmons running the offense in practice yesterday pic.twitter.com/aIwZRaFrQT
— C.J. Toledano 💩 (@CJToledano) October 19, 2021
At this point, the relationship between Simmons and the 76ers seems to be irreparable. It will be interesting to follow along and see how long Simmons remains on the roster. And even if he is on the roster, will he play? If Simmons keeps causing problems in Philadelphia, will other teams even want to trade for him? The NBA is a sure-fire bet to supply sports fans with their fair share of drama, and this Simmons 76ers beef is delivering early on in the season.
Author: Jacob Luksik
