The Ben Simmons Saga was in full bloom on Thursday. A day after Simmons was booted out of practice for refusing to participate in a drill, he showed at 76ers practice complaining of back issues (but still practiced). Meanwhile, Eagles players are chiming in and Philly fans are calling for the Sixers to do something…anything…about the situation.
Plenty of people feel like the 76ers could have avoided all this drama by dealing with it in the offseason, presumably by trading Simmons before he torpedoed his value with his antics. However, according to Sixers GM Daryl Morey, he has no intention of rushing a trade through in order to appease Simmons or Sixers fans.
Morey appeared on local radio station 97.5 The Fanatic on Thursday and spoke plainly about how he’s thinking long-term about the 76ers and Simmons.
Morey on his timeline: "You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could (go on for) 4 years. … We're in the prime of Joel's career…Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference maker."
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 21, 2021
Daryl Morey, in a Philadelphia radio interview, confirming what's been widely believed: He will not be pressured into trading Ben Simmons. "People should buckle in," Morey said. "This is going to go a long time."
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) October 21, 2021
“Would you rather eliminate what people perceive to be a distraction, or would you rather have better playoff odds? I’ll take playoff odds,” said Morey. “Whatever we have to deal with that helps the Philadelphia 76ers win the title, we’ll do it.
“You’re going to think I’m kidding. I’m not. This could [go on for) 4 years. We’re in the prime of Joel’s career. Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference-maker.
“People should buckle in, this is going to go a long time.”
Well then. Morey sounds like he’s sticking to his guns, or at the very least letting other NBA teams know that they’re going to have to put a pretty impressive offer on the table for Simmons. While Morey’s stance might be lauded in that sense, it doesn’t take into account that the relationship between Simmons and Embiid is fraught as it is, and might only get worse. So while it might make sense to hold onto Simmons on paper, the real world dictates that something will have to give eventually.
Never a dull moment in Philadelphia these days.
