The emergence of second-year guard Tyrese Maxey may be affecting the Sixers‘ desire to get a deal done for Ben Simmons by the trade deadline, writes David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer. With Joel Embiid out of the lineup Monday, Maxey assumed the role of team leader and put up 33 points and eight assists in a matchup with Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
Murphy suggests it’s a performance that Simmons would have difficulty duplicating, which may lead the Sixers’ front office to think they have the lead guard they need for an extended playoff run. Amid the persistent trade rumors involving Simmons, there have also been reports that Philadelphia may prefer to wait until summer and take another shot at landing a star.
“He’s a helluva basketball player, a great leader at such a young age,” teammate Andre Drummond said of Maxey. “He has a lot on his shoulders being in the position that he’s in to carrying an entire team, he’s great. He’s a great basketball player, and I’m glad that he’s my point guard.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Reports about Simmons in an ESPN story that appeared Tuesday indicate that he still doesn’t understand why Sixers fans are disappointed in him, claims Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Neubeck notes that fans remained supportive even when Simmons was struggling to make a free throw in last year’s playoffs, but they turned on him in the offseason when he pulled away from the team and appeared to stop trying.
- Among the claims in the ESPN report is that Simmons was disappointed that coach Doc Rivers didn’t visit him while he was training in Los Angeles during the offseason. That’s despite Simmons ignoring text messages and calls from Rivers and later telling some of his teammates not to try to see him. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that,” Rivers told Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. “There’s nobody that’s been more supportive than me. I have a tape someone sent me of almost an hour of me over and over (praising Simmons). You heard me last year every day. It’s all posturing. That’s why you haven’t heard me – I don’t get involved in all that stuff. I’ll leave that up to the front office and Ben’s camp. I’m staying out of that part. But, listen, some of this stuff I laugh at and I feel bad. I think Ben’s a good kid. I want Ben to do well.”
- With the trade deadline a little more than a week away, Rich Hofmann and John Hollinger of The Athletic look at the Sixers’ options involving Simmons and other players.
To be honest
I was guessing that Simmons and Rivers were not getting along
On the surface it looks good
But in their hearts….
Dump Rivers then ask Simmons to rejoin his team.Or trade him
76ers are stupid not trade Simmons for a couples guys and a pick.
Moreyon wants Harden. So why are we still printing stories about Ben. Sixers talk about the development of Maxey. Which is a great story so far. Getting Harden is not going to help that. Moreyon will take Sixers down like he did Rockets. Then walk away.
Sixers have been living rent free in your head for a long time, huh?
Look we all know Doc shouldn’t have said what he said after losing to the Hawks. With that said, I cannot fathom a universe where Doc is more at fault for this situation than Simmons or Morey for that matter being as he was basically a Houston Rockets last year until Brooklyn sold the farm for Harden. Facts are facts. Simmons is not mentally tough enough to handle the criticisms of his game. You don’t get to be an Allstar and 1st team defense and not be called out on your short comings. The hate is louder than love to Benny and that’s something he’ll never reverse. The good news for me is that he’ll be in Sacramento soon enough and I’ll have to watch Kings games with even more tears in my eyes than usual.
Wine and cry new age babies. Take some accountability. He better be shooting 3s as I am typing this message
“Neubeck notes that fans remained supportive even when Simmons was struggling to make a free throw in last year’s playoffs, but they turned on him in the offseason when he pulled away from the team and appeared to stop trying.”
Yeah, no. Either this guy sucks at his job or he’s lying. Fans may hate Simmons now more than ever, but most had wanted to get rid of him after the playoffs. I would hardly call that “supportive”
Actually, most 76ers fans said that Ben had either learn to shoot from the outside during games, or move to a position he’s more suited towards playing, SF/PF….and if he were to come back and apologize for his actions tomorrow, and suit up to play, he would get a “Booo” 1st time out by about 1/2 /^÷ crowd and cheers from the other half. If he plays well in his first game back, then there would be 90% cheering in that game and every game after.
From my perspective, most fans, that were vocal, roughly 75% showed displeasure in Ben’s game and called him soft mentally. Said he choked in the playoffs and he was too scared to ever come back to Philly to admit it.
Those same fans that were pointing out all his shortcomings were loading up message boards with trade proposals asking for all-star level players in return for Simmons..
They wanted him gone, and then when he sat out instead of playing, they just further spewed their dislike for the young man. Basically, while they were winning and doing well Simmons was fine and beloved, BUT when they lost in the playoffs and when he wouldn’t play to get them back max value in a trade they disliked him more and more…
Maybe that was just the outspoken 76ers fans, but it isn’t like Philly fans really deserve the benefit of the doubt. YOU GUYS BOO’D SANTA CLAUS for God’s sake…lol
Time to shelve the Santa BS. This guy was completely supported until he abandoned his teammates and city. He NEVER was willing to work on his game, can’t shoot free throws, has a hard time making a layup with his DOMINANT hand never mind a 10 foot jump shot or runner and STILL thinks he’s an NBA point guard. I have watched every Sixers game since he got here and I am here to tell you that he stinks. I’ve watched Maurice Cheeks in his prime, Allen Iverson and even Johnny freakin Dawkins. He couldn’t hold a candle to any of them and now he can’t hold a handle to Maxey. Of course we’re going to try to get the best package for him, but frankly he is not missed one bit. His teammates were even willing to fly out to meet with him in the off-season, but of course he blew them off. He’s a weakling.
Its funny how that Santa Claus story keeps getting passed around but nobody ever brings up the fact that the guy playing Santa Claus was drunk off his ass.
December 15, 1968 Philly boos Santa…talk about a reach c’mon you should be able to find some recent examples if you are spewing this as a narrative.
But I do agree that a large and vocal portion of our fan base is insufferable and our media is even worse! The Ben hate has been going on since his rookie year, and I don’t blame him for wanting out…I would welcome him back because I think he is a top 20-25 player, but I feel like a trade has got to happen at this stage…but I am fine waiting till the offseason as well.
I spent some time on Liberty Ballers during the playoffs and thereafter, and I can assure you a majority of the folks there were tired of Simmons. Why? Because they and the organization had been asking him to do the same things for YEARS. Shoot from deep. Develop the threat of a mid-range game. Improve free-throw shooting. He accomplished none of those things, all the while being resistant to change the whole time. None of this was new, and many just got tired of asking for something from something they knew they would never follow through with.
Moreover, the fans suffered a lot through The Process and have been waiting for results year after year, with not much to show for things. They were exacerbated and rightfully so. Between Simmons’s limitations and front office missteps the Sixers have underperformed more often than not but particularly in the playoffs, hence why many were looking forward to shaking things up and ridding the team of Simmons who everyone knew to be a poor fit with Embiid from the start.
I spend some time (more than I like to admit lol) on Liberty Ballers too…have for years tbh. Most of our media (including liberty baller staff) and a fan base who regurgitates the nonsense of talk radio, have ripped him for what he does not do, without appreciating what he does do. He doesn’t shoot 3’s I get it (and having watched him I am glad he doesn’t)…what he does do is assist on the most 3 pointers during his career….what is his job? To shoot 3’s or to create 3’s? I am fine with Ben as a player (yep, the only guy in Philly lol) and whoever ends up with him will be fortunate…I wished it was us, but I think that ship has passed.
#FreeBenSimmons
Either you got the backbone or get out of philly. Ask Lindros.
Lindros had more backbone than anybody. His issue was with Bobby Clarke, not with the city of Philadelphia or its fans.
In general I always hope the Sixers win a championship. But this year would be even better bc then everyone can text or at Ben and congratulate him for his contribution to winning while he’s waiting outside the practice complex for everyone to leave.
Wouldn’t Ben still get a ring in that scenario?
Yea, just like the cheerleaders.