Appearing today on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made it clear he’s in no rush to trade Ben Simmons for less than what the Sixers believe he’s worth.
“People should buckle in, this is going to go a long time,” Morey said, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com (Twitter link).
Morey added that if the Sixers can trade Simmons for a “difference-maker,” they’ll do it, but confirmed the club has no interest in moving the three-time All-Star for role players. In Morey’s view, Philadelphia’s best chance to win a championship would be by either getting Simmons back on the court or waiting until an impact player hits the trade block.
“I would ask the question to Sixers fans: would you rather eliminate a distraction or have lower playoff odds?” Morey said, per Neubeck and Rich Hofmann of The Athletic (Twitter links). “I’m willing to go through mud, muck, barbed wire…we’ll go through whatever it takes…what we’re doing right now gives us the best chance to win the title.”
The standoff between Simmons and the Sixers has seemingly grown more uncomfortable this week. The 25-year-old reported to the team, but has resisted engaging physically or mentally in practices and was suspended for the season opener for conduct detrimental to the team. Reports today indicated that he will meet with team leadership on Friday to discuss his playing status after skipping a scheduled individual workout on Thursday.
While Simmons seems to have little interest in suiting up again for the 76ers after demanding a trade in the offseason, Morey’s comments on 97.5 The Fanatic today suggest the club won’t be pressured into making a deal sooner rather than later.
“You’re going to think I’m kidding, I’m not. This could take four years,” Morey said (Twitter link via Neubeck). “… We’re in the prime of Joel (Embiid)’s career…this is not a day-to-day (issue). Every day, we are going to expect Ben Simmons to be back here, or we trade him for a difference-maker.”
Multiple reports today indicated that Simmons complained of back stiffness and received minor treatment before being cleared by the team’s medical staff. That back tightness hadn’t been treated or mentioned as an issue before today, a source tells Neubeck.
If he has a legitimate injury, that would be a reason for Simmons to miss practices and games while still being paid. However, it sounds like the team doesn’t view Simmons’ back tightness as a serious issue. Multiple sources who spoke to PhillyVoice about Simmons’ suspension earlier this week were prepared for him to use a health-related explanation to avoid playing in Friday’s game, Neubeck says.
As a lifelong Sixers fan, going back to the days of Chamberlain I’m willing to go through the muck and barbed wire with you Daryl.
Well you might have to go through the barbed wire. Simmons won’t, he is too delicate.
As a Celtic Fan, I am 100% with you destroying the Sixers 2021/22 playoff chances.
please Philly, keep it up.
Signed everyone in the East
As a bulls fan I too applaud you genius’ in Philly for supporting the process eternally, thank you for giving us your playoff seeding while your overvalue someone providing zero value to your team, thanks guys your great
Could not be happier that overrated Morey is in Philly.
Thankfully the celtics aren’t a contender so probably doesn’t matter to them.
Get a rocking chair, you guys won’t make it past the second round for awhile!
What a disaster. Tough spot for the organization to be in. I like the hardline they are taking so far but how long is it sustainable? If the goal is to compete for a title in Embiid’s prime I’m not sure how this helps.
Trading him for bums doesn’t help either.
True. This is basically a poker game gone awry. Morey’s been waiting for the cards to break his way for so long his bankroll is depleted to next to nothing.
The only way out at this point is for Simmons to actually play—and play well. Either well enough for them to be contenders or at least well enough to re-establish his trade value.
It does if the other option is not trading him and he doesn’t even play
Morey basically said buckle up for the next 4yrs.
Im sure Embiid is also on board waiting 4 more years to be able to win.
Will he be next to ask for a trade?
That would be funny, actually.
Yea I guess u missed all of Embiid career in Philly.
When did Embiid win a championship?
Please? I may have missed that year.
Simmons Sux and he is not only a Clown Show, he is a Big Baby!!!
I have not liked this guy since his days since LSU
He is a fraud!
The Sixers are a better team without Simmons!!
SMH
Offensive I think they are better, but no way defensive. Maxey/Curry is a pretty same back court
I think the Sixers will still be good defensively. Embiid is also a DPotY caliber player, Thybulle is one of the best defensive wings in the league, and they have plenty of other who can then hold their own.
Yup, they can play Thybulle 35mpg and basically get pretty close to where they were defensively last year.
It’s actually offensively that I think they’ll be hurt more so. People rightfully point out Simmons’ offensive shortcomings, but he’s by far this team’s best passer and ball handler. They don’t have a lot of depth in those areas, which will put even more weight on Joel’s shoulders offensively.
The Defense of Simmons does not really help in my opinion. I know I won’t miss him
That’s the rest of Embiid’s prime and Harris, as well.
I get that it’s easier to hate the whiny player in these situations, but seriously, fans who back these slimy, rich, lying execs always amaze me. It’s obviously become personal on both sides, instead of keeping it about business. Even if a Lillard or Beal were to hit the block, the 76ers have had a huge hand in helping to tank Simmons’ value, and now it’s Simmons plus three firsts and three pick swaps to maybe get a deal done for a real “difference maker.”
100% correct. Any trade with Simmons for a really good player will involve picks and/or swaps coming from the Sixers, not the other way around.
If that’s what it takes, so be it. Still need his salary for matching purposes. You arent getting Dame or Beal for those picks and buddy hield
Counter-point: You could flip Simmons for matching salary on shorter-run contracts right now (and maybe even get an additional pick or two), leave the circus behind, and then make the hypothetical Beal/Lillard move if/when they become available.
Teams looking to blow it up usually want shorter-run multiple, easily movable contracts + picks as opposed to a max contract guy who probably doesn’t fit their rebuild timeline + picks.
At this point, I wouldn’t discount the possibility this is just a total meltdown on the part of Simmons, in which case that contract basically becomes negative value. That’s a risk not only for the 6ers but also for a team looking to acquire him.
Morey saying its Lillard or nothing. So nothing it is.
Morey has a ton of job security, a deserved good reputation, and the goal of doing anything for a title. Ben Simmons passes up open dunks and declares he will hold out of playing for a team only to show up before the season even starts. It’s clear who will blink first.
Morey’s threat of waiting this situation out for 4 years is so completely ridiculous. The fuse has already been lit, this thing is going to blow up in his face eventually. So if Simmons “blinks first” and comes crawling back to the team with his tail between his legs, what will that accomplish exactly? The team will welcome him back with open arms and everything just goes back to normal? That will never happen. Everyone is going to lose here.
He never said 4 years you just assume that for some reason. He will be traded this year or the offseason.
Did you even read the article? Morley said “You’re going to think I’m kidding, I’m not. This could take four years,” I don’t care who you are but if you RT this drag out even two years you’ll be on the hot seat.
To me, at this point, I’d flip Simmons for shorter-term contracts and a couple picks and play the Dame-Beal waiting game without Ben. Because that’s Morey’s only out, either way.
I mean, at this point . . . are Portland or Washington even interested in a Simmons-centered package? Does any team really want to bet its rebuild on this guy?
Philly can make the same offer Brooklyn made last year for Harden—every pick in their arsenal and piece together short-dated contracts for salary-matching purposes. At this point that package is preferable to praying Simmons trade value recuperates, IMO.
For sure it will be Morey make no mistake about it, Ben is winning by a large margin here!
So they won’t trade Ben for anything but a “difference maker”, yet if it drags out four years that Championship window is shut. Morey isn’t good at this bluffing thing, or he just isn’t good at his job. Lol.
Good for Ben for not letting this organization steamroll him.
Great point, that is sooo true!
If you trade him for less than a difference maker the window is also shut.
Not if you can trade him for draft picks and expiring contracts. Then you have cap space and trade assets to acquire another difference maker to pair with Embiid.
Sixers won’t have cap space to sign free agents even if they trade for expirings. They have over $115 million committed next season without Simmons salary, this years cap is $112 million.
That’s what they paid Doc Rivers for…
#FreeBenSimmons
Morey has to take this approach, unless the organization determines (from the top) to go in the fire sale direction.
What’s confusing is why he didn’t he sit down with Simmons and explain reality to him before allowing him to rejoined the team, or, if he did, why it didn’t take.
Philly made two losing bets since they got bounced by Atlanta.
1. Betting Simmons’ trade value would rebound relatively quickly.
2. Betting, push come to shove, Simmons would come back this year and play (in turn assisting his trade value in rebounding).
At this point, with summer done, #1 is almost entirely dependent on #2. If Simmons continues to fake injuries or possibly plead anxiety or depression (which may be true), then I’m not sure what recourse Morey will have at that point. I don’t see a Simmons-centered deal bringing back a star player until Simmons gets back on the floor and shows he’s at least who he was last reg season.
Because at some point (probably sooner than later) this will become an Embiid question in addition to a Simmons one—does Joel and his reps want to spend their prime years in a circus with remote hopes of returning to contention?
Doc’s attitude, and pride in getting him to sign the extension.
Morey is just delusional.
If Embiid gets hurt (which he will). Ghis us a lottery team. Great job Philly!
This is
What would they be if they trade Simmons for role players and Embiid gets hurt?
They’d obviously get several draft picks plus role players and like a young prospect as well.
But even if we pretend it’s “just” role players, the team would still be better with three role players than literally nothing, since Simmons isn’t playing for the 76ers even if they don’t trade him.
Morey is clearly bluffing. Simmons will be traded in the next two weeks and philly fans are going to be upset about the return after waiting so long.
Simmons isn’t a franchise player. Morey is a clown if he think he is.
You aren’t going to get Dame or Beal for Simmons.
You can’t build a team around Simmons.
Adding McCollum, Covington and future 1st(s) would still keep their window open and provide them with solid players who could be used to acquire a “difference maker” down the road. Keeping Simmons only allows his trade value continue to drop. I don’t understand Morey’s reasoning for thinking he can simply wait it out and get a better offers than the ones already provided.
No but, you see, delusional Sixers fans would call that a garbage offer, their excuse for why Morey has held out for so long.
lmao watch Embiid request a trade if this Simmons crap keeps going on. whats so hard about trading this dude
True definition of: SH!T SHOW
Owners and other agents don’t like Rich Paul coming out of nowhere, from selling jerseys from his dar trunk to getting LeBron, “stealing” clients, changing the agent game to he and his player’s benefit, trying to dictate/run the league, etc…
This is an opportunity to get back at him.
Could work… could backfire.
Stay tuned!
It’s time to call out Morey for mishandling and mistreating Simmons. He was far nicer with Harden because not because it was good for Houston, but because he liked Harden and was hoping Harden would join him elsewhere. Hopefully, Morey will get fired and ousted from NBA for good. He thinks he is the “star” here.
Simmons’ value is getting lower and lower. Maybe now you are ready for John Wall trade, ah?
John wall has a negative impact on a team so still makes no sense
Is this still part of the process?
How do regular courts normally rule, in cases of contractor vs contractee, when the contractee is a person and the contractor a company, and the contract is multiyear? Do promises made outside the contract matter? Does contractee effort matter? Do such things normally get handled out of court?