Simmons officially wants out

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29749540/what-know-know-boycotts-stopped-sports


An excerpt:

As part of the June 20 restart memo agreed upon by the NBA and players' association, a player who refuses to play without proper and reasonable cause or excuse can see his salary reduced by 1/92.6. However, the number of games that can be docked is capped at 14 -- including the seeding games and playoff games.


Bob
MY NOTE:  1/92nd doesn't seem like much to me, not when you're making $33M like Simmons.  Furthermore, they can only dock him for 14 games, max.  The Sixers will make the playoffs, with or without Simmons, and those 14 games include playoffs.  Even if Philly is swept in the 1st round that's a minimum of 86 games and he will be paid for at least 72 of them.

Assuming Simmons receives no incentives for playoffs or anything else, 72/82 X $33M = $28.98M.


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-ben-simmons-disinclined-help-152401886.html


Report: Ben Simmons disinclined to help 76ers after Daryl Morey, Doc Rivers comments


Dan Feldman
Tue, September 7, 2021, 8:24 AM



76ers president Daryl Morey said he wouldn’t trade Ben Simmons… then offered Simmons to the Rockets for James Harden. After Philadelphia lost in the second round of the playoffs, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he didn’t know whether Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team.

Now, Simmons is threatening to hold out until traded.

Apparently, Simmons’ camp blames those comments from Morey and Rivers for the situation devolving.

Keith Pompey of The Inquirer on 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia:

They’re saying to themselves, “Why should we help the 76ers out?” when they feel like, when Doc Rivers said what he said, no one apologized. Doc Rivers wasn’t reprimanded by the team or this and that. Or there’s an organization where, in the preseason last year, when they were saying they weren’t trying to trade him, but everyone knew they were trying to trade him.

Simmons would be absolutely reasonable to resent Morey, who has a history of lying publicly to downplay tension. It has often worked, buying time while keeping players on Morey’s team content. Then, once a trade happens and exposes the lie, the player is someone else’s problem.

Except Morey hasn’t traded Simmons yet.

So, this time, it’s Morey’s problem.

As far as Rivers’ comment… it’s tough to trust everything has been properly construed along the line from Simmons to someone in his camp to Pompey to a radio audience with possible additional links in the chain. But if Simmons truly wanted Rivers reprimanded, that speaks to just how coddled Simmons has been.

Reprimanded for what? Saying he doesn’t know whether Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team? How could anyone know that at this point? Though maybe criticizing Simmons after pumping him up all season wasn’t the best tact strategically, Rivers was at least being honest after losing Game 7 to the Hawks. Despite all his strengths, Simmons’ shooting flaws are a real impediment in the playoffs. The coach shouldn’t face punishment for saying that.

It’s on Simmons to improve.

Simmons also apparently wants Philadelphia to trade him.

Reporting to training camp and showing he has improved is one way to expedite a deal. That’d increase other teams’ interest, maybe close enough to the 76ers’ asking price.

But pressuring Philadelphia with a holdout is another way to provoke a trade. As the 76ers lose leverage, they might lower their asking price.

Rivers’ and Morey’s comments apparently had something to do with Simmons taking the latter route.


Bob
MY NOTE:  The City of Brotherly Love isn't feeling any for Benny Boy.  You want a player who takes criticism to heart and works to improve.  If I was Ben Simmons I would have gone to Doc and asked him why he said that about me.  If he said I wasn't putting the work in to improve my shooting I'd spend more time in the gym working on that.  If he said I lacked good court vision, or that I struggle under playoff pressure, that's something else.  Then I'd be gone asap because that's about his lack of confidence in me.  As far as Daryl Morey's comment goes let's remember Morey is from the Danny tree.  Danny would say something like that, and then pick up the phone when another GM called to ask about that player.  Doesn't mean he'd go for the offer, but he'd listen.  Either way what this suggests to me is that Ben Simmons lacks mental and emotional toughness.  He's hurt easily by words and, if he never went to the speaker of those words and talked to them about them, he's not a good leader and really might not be a Championship starting point guard.  What's crazy is that he just turned 25 years old and is a 3X All-Star, 2X NBA All-Defense First Team and he's only played 4 years!  He sat out his first year with a foot injury and then played the next four.  3X All-Star in his first 4 years is pretty remarkable, and yet...


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bobheckler wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29749540/what-know-know-boycotts-stopped-sports


An excerpt:

As part of the June 20 restart memo agreed upon by the NBA and players' association, a player who refuses to play without proper and reasonable cause or excuse can see his salary reduced by 1/92.6. However, the number of games that can be docked is capped at 14 -- including the seeding games and playoff games.


Bob
MY NOTE:  1/92nd doesn't seem like much to me, not when you're making $33M like Simmons.  Furthermore, they can only dock him for 14 games, max.  The Sixers will make the playoffs, with or without Simmons, and those 14 games include playoffs.  Even if Philly is swept in the 1st round that's a minimum of 86 games and he will be paid for at least 72 of them.

Assuming Simmons receives no incentives for playoffs or anything else, 72/82 X $33M = $28.98M.


.

Interesting. So my next question is "then what?". So he chooses not to show up to work. They can dock his pay for up to 14 games. What happens on day 15 if he's still not back? Do they owe him the rest of the money even if he never steps foot on the court again, or can they release him at that point?

why would Sacramento give up one of the best offensive players in the league for Simmons? Why would they take a chance of giving Lillard a reason to demand a trade if McCollum is traded? I think they are basically on of the best backcourts in the NBA. The 76er's are determined that they deserve a top notch guard to replace Simons. The only thing is....I do not think any team will bite

The longer this goes, the less chance they have, get this drama over with before it becomes another James Harden mess.

BaronV wrote:

bobheckler wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29749540/what-know-know-boycotts-stopped-sports


An excerpt:

As part of the June 20 restart memo agreed upon by the NBA and players' association, a player who refuses to play without proper and reasonable cause or excuse can see his salary reduced by 1/92.6. However, the number of games that can be docked is capped at 14 -- including the seeding games and playoff games.


Bob
MY NOTE:  1/92nd doesn't seem like much to me, not when you're making $33M like Simmons.  Furthermore, they can only dock him for 14 games, max.  The Sixers will make the playoffs, with or without Simmons, and those 14 games include playoffs.  Even if Philly is swept in the 1st round that's a minimum of 86 games and he will be paid for at least 72 of them.

Assuming Simmons receives no incentives for playoffs or anything else, 72/82 X $33M = $28.98M.


.

Interesting.  So my next question is "then what?".  So he chooses not to show up to work.  They can dock his pay for up to 14 games.  What happens on day 15 if he's still not back?  Do they owe him the rest of the money even if he never steps foot on the court again, or can they release him at that point?  

Baron,

That's how I read it.


Bob


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It is in the Sixers interest to find a trade partner even if they only get 75 to 80 cents on the dollar.  The marriage is over.  Move on.

They however cannot pass him off as an elite talent. 

He would be a great fit as a point forward surrounded by a solid big and a nice collection of shooters.

bobheckler wrote:https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29749540/what-know-know-boycotts-stopped-sports


An excerpt:

As part of the June 20 restart memo agreed upon by the NBA and players' association, a player who refuses to play without proper and reasonable cause or excuse can see his salary reduced by 1/92.6. However, the number of games that can be docked is capped at 14 -- including the seeding games and playoff games.


Bob
MY NOTE:  1/92nd doesn't seem like much to me, not when you're making $33M like Simmons.  Furthermore, they can only dock him for 14 games, max.  The Sixers will make the playoffs, with or without Simmons, and those 14 games include playoffs.  Even if Philly is swept in the 1st round that's a minimum of 86 games and he will be paid for at least 72 of them.

Assuming Simmons receives no incentives for playoffs or anything else, 72/82 X $33M = $28.98M.


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So not only will that have to pay him even though some of his cheese will get cut, they’ll have a player who doesn’t want to be there. Sixers are better off getting 5 draft picks and cutting their losses. Taking a little bit of his cash just to play hardball will backfire worse than a studebaker. Like the songs says “Go stupid, Go stupid”

112288, I have had high hopes for Romeo but was disappointed with his Summer League performances. Simmons is a great defensive player and with a brain transplant might be ok on offense so Iwould trade Rimeo, Al, and now 2 boxes of Krispy Kremes for him since Carsen is gone...but no way would Philly ever make such a deal. We are going to be a fine team this year with our present roster as is iff everyone stays healthy.

Philly would want Jaylen Brown and Aaron Nesmith, and who ever else makes up the money for sure or Pritchard. Darryl Morley is no fool. He is not giving him away. So as far as I am concerned, they can watch him from afar and fine him game by game. Then he will go out on the floor and not throw the ball to Embid at all. This is a mess

Not our circus!

Rosalie,

I disagree with your thoughts of the 'ers GM not being a fool if he doesn't get a guy like Jaylen Brown in return for Simmons.

Living in Delaware, we unfortunately get/have to see the 'ers all the time and also have to read about them every day as well. And, they are always a mess! Before, they were a mess without talent and now they are a mess with much more talent.

Simmons is a very good player, but he has some very disgusting weaknesses in his game that makes him not even close to Jaylen Brown in an even up trade scenario. Why can he not shoot the ball better by now after being in the league for four years? Is it because the Philly coaches are terrible, or is it because of some personal limiting issues?

I have seen this guy play tons of games, and he can help many teams in the NBA, but probably not as a "max" level player. He needs to be the third, fourth guy or fifth guy, but will never be able to be that guy with the huge salary that he has. Have I mentioned that the 'ers are always a mess?

Simmons seems to know that Philadelphia is not for him. He has just never warmed up to the city or the team, and has been not too shy about his thoughts on the matter either.

Motley may be much better off moving this guy than keeping him especially since the player has now (finally?) stated that he wants out. He already has enough money to never need to play again so fining him even every day should not move him to return. And, even if a bunch of fines did move him to return, I highly doubt that he would return any more happy than he is right now.

Motley will not likely get anyone as talented as our Mr. Brown in return for Simmons, but he can get rid of him which will likely make Philly better in some ways and at the same time weaker in some ways.

How can they possibly resist Worcester's offer of Horford, Langford AND the TWO boxes of Crispy Creams????

If I remember correctly, Simmons is either lefthanded but shhots right, or vice versa. I think his father encouraged this hoping it would strengthen off- hand shooting. It seems like a terrible idea, and I can't imagine how it is not a part of his shooting problems. There is a mental component to shooting, and if you have to actually think about which hand you want to use - that can't be good

Well, you may be right, but right now the 76er's are shooting for the moon, and getting nothing in return. On top of all of Simmon's shortfalls where shooting is concerned, he seems to have an ego the size of the Grand Canyon. I have NEVER liked his game, from when he was with LSU to present. Morely may have no choice but to take whoever and just get rid of him. Is this going to be one of those 30 for 30 stories one day about the kid who had the world by it's tail and fell from the sky, free falling, and going from team to team trying to prove how good he thinks he is. You see it first hand, I am here in Boston. I will take your word for it

By the way, the longer this goes, the less they will get, everyone will get skitish about taking a chance with the contract he has. And, he will definitely go from two boxes to one!!!!

I would like to see him traded to Portland for Dame.

Or maybe to Dallas.  

bottom line once Simmons is moved the only one remaining from the process is the process.  The Sixers would have officially screwed away tons of very high draft picks including

Trading Jrue Holiday for Noel
drafting Jahlil Okafor
drafting     Ben Simmons
drafting     Markelle Fultz instead of Tatum
trading draft rights for Mikal Bridges for Zaire Smith

The Sixers deserve everything that they get.

Would you really want them to end up with Lillard? Not me. I want them to end up getting the bottom of the barrel just to get rid of him. The uglier it gets the stupider they look. Embid has never played a full season since he came into the league, his bottom is going to fall out sooner or later. Let them squirm and send him to the worst team in the league

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Would you really want them to end up with Lillard?  Not me. I want them to end up getting the bottom of the barrel just to get rid of him. The uglier it gets the stupider they look. Embid has never played a full season since he came into the league, his bottom is going to fall out sooner or later. Let them squirm and send him to the worst team in the league

I think Embid and Lillard would be a dynamic pairing.  I hate to see guys spend their entire careers with teams that  seem incapable of building a championship contender.  I know you are thinking they would be better with Lillard.  Offensively they would be great.  Defensively they would be taking a big step back.  And self proclaimed great player Embid would be bitching that Dame shoots too much, lol

We still got the 2 best young players on our team in the East and maybe the entire league.  I like our timeline to be at the top of the mountain.

Rosalie, I believe there already was a Ben Simmons 30 for 30 or something on ESPN about him and his trek through the NCAA/LSU then into the pros. When I watched it, I actually started liking the kid. But alas...

wideclyde, you took the thought right out of my 57 year old head. The 'ers are always a mess!! They gave the Celtics all they could handle in the early 80's, but since then (excluding Iverson) it has been laughable as far as management and player personnel goes. Even then, it was a magical run for them to get to the Finals with Iverson only to run into Lakers. Similar to Phoenix's run this year.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/shaq-goes-off-ben-simmons-181212097.html



Shaq goes off on Ben Simmons trade request: 'You're not that good'



Noah Levick
Thu, September 9, 2021, 11:12 AM



Shaquille O’Neal does not hold Ben Simmons in high regard.

The Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star is one of many media personalities to share a strong opinion on Simmons, who reportedly does not plan to attend Sixers training camp if he’s still on the team’s roster at that time.

Here’s what O’Neal had to say on The Big Podcast with Shaq:

“I have G-14 classification to say what I’m about to say, and so does Charles Barkley: Ben Simmons, you’re not that good. And then, in this league, do you want to be good or do you want to be great? You’re not great. But if you want to get to that next level, you have to be great. And to be great, you have to work on your game.

“Don’t be putting pictures on your Instagram of your Ferrari or what actress you’re hanging around with. When you play for a town like Philadelphia, Boston, L.A., Miami — a hard-working town — they don’t give a s--- about none of that. They want you to come, work hard and play hard.

“I was at that Game 6 when that man didn’t even look at the basket. And I know, as a player, the first thing I do is I look in a player’s eyes. That man was out there terrified. Not terrified of playing, but terrified of being fouled and missing free throws. Forget all that.”

O’Neal certainly has unique insight into Simmons’ foul shooting problem last postseason, specifically the “Hack-a-Simmons” strategy of intentionally sending the Australian to the foul line.

For his career, O’Neal made 52.7 percent of his 9.3 free throw attempts per game during the regular season. He converted 50.4 percent of his 10.7 free throws per playoff contest. Simmons shot 34.2 percent across the Sixers’ two playoff rounds in 2021.

Barkley requested to be traded from the Sixers and was dealt to the Suns in 1992, winning MVP in his first year with Phoenix. He does not like how Simmons has handled things.

“I’m disappointed in Ben Simmons,” Barkley said. “When you give somebody $200 million to dribble a stupid basketball and the only thing you ask him is be better as a player, and their first response is, ‘I don’t want to play here anymore,’ that disappoints me as a player, it disappoints me as a fan. They’re not saying, ‘Hey, come over here and cut my grass.’ They’re saying, ‘Ben, we need you to learn how to shoot the basketball.'"


Bob


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bobheckler wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/sports/shaq-goes-off-ben-simmons-181212097.html



Shaq goes off on Ben Simmons trade request: 'You're not that good'



Noah Levick
Thu, September 9, 2021, 11:12 AM



Shaquille O’Neal does not hold Ben Simmons in high regard.

The Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star is one of many media personalities to share a strong opinion on Simmons, who reportedly does not plan to attend Sixers training camp if he’s still on the team’s roster at that time.

Here’s what O’Neal had to say on The Big Podcast with Shaq:

“I have G-14 classification to say what I’m about to say, and so does Charles Barkley: Ben Simmons, you’re not that good. And then, in this league, do you want to be good or do you want to be great? You’re not great. But if you want to get to that next level, you have to be great. And to be great, you have to work on your game.

“Don’t be putting pictures on your Instagram of your Ferrari or what actress you’re hanging around with. When you play for a town like Philadelphia, Boston, L.A., Miami — a hard-working town — they don’t give a s--- about none of that. They want you to come, work hard and play hard.

“I was at that Game 6 when that man didn’t even look at the basket. And I know, as a player, the first thing I do is I look in a player’s eyes. That man was out there terrified. Not terrified of playing, but terrified of being fouled and missing free throws. Forget all that.”

O’Neal certainly has unique insight into Simmons’ foul shooting problem last postseason, specifically the “Hack-a-Simmons” strategy of intentionally sending the Australian to the foul line.

For his career, O’Neal made 52.7 percent of his 9.3 free throw attempts per game during the regular season. He converted 50.4 percent of his 10.7 free throws per playoff contest. Simmons shot 34.2 percent across the Sixers’ two playoff rounds in 2021.

Barkley requested to be traded from the Sixers and was dealt to the Suns in 1992, winning MVP in his first year with Phoenix. He does not like how Simmons has handled things.

“I’m disappointed in Ben Simmons,” Barkley said. “When you give somebody $200 million to dribble a stupid basketball and the only thing you ask him is be better as a player, and their first response is, ‘I don’t want to play here anymore,’ that disappoints me as a player, it disappoints me as a fan. They’re not saying, ‘Hey, come over here and cut my grass.’ They’re saying, ‘Ben, we need you to learn how to shoot the basketball.'"


Bob


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Those 2 guys are spot on, as HoF players and now older statesman for the game, they are entertaining and have earned the right to have such a cushy job and great lifestyle. I don’t always agree with them, but underneath it all, they want to see players actions/attitudes that are good for the the game. Simmons along with guys like Durant and Kyrie are what’s wrong with this league IMHO.

+1

Wide Clyde, Ros, DBrown, dboss. Sham, Bob, Shaq, and Charles - such great analyses of the Simmons situation. Although  i think he could play well for us and although I think Philly won't get a better offer than what I had suggested, Simmons mind set would poison the Celtics, unless Ime has a Ph.D. in Basketball Psychology., which even then that would be a tough assignment.

One thing Bob points out is how favorable to players the CBA is if Simmons would only miss $4M out of a $33M paycheck for sitting out a whole season. Yesterday I watched Dallas play Tampa Bay with particular interest because my sister's adopted grandson is on the Cowboy's practice squad.   We've  come to learn how great the difference is between the NBA and the NFL, which despite its woke ads on TV before and during games honoring black people is still run by rich white owners who continue to run their league with a plantation owners mentality. I love football, but I really love the NBA for the way it treats its players, even if that means Ben Simmons is free to sit out and get paid.

Paul Pierce is obviously old school, a real grinder type of superstar. Tough as nails, even survived a stabbing. Loved hearing the Englewood vs Compton story.

What was telling during his HoF speech, was him telling of a Roy Williams story, how much he learned, didn’t even know a down screen. Wasn’t promised a starting position, even though he was his states top rated HS baller, and how he appreciated that honesty from Roy….all traits of winner a baller.

Simmons is damaged emotional goods, no toughness whatsoever, whole life was an entitled pampered child, shame he actually has to work thru some adversity.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/timberwolves-not-willing-stars-trade-171656581.html



Timberwolves not willing to include stars in trade for Ben Simmons


Ky Carlin
Sun, September 12, 2021, 10:16 AM


As training camp rapidly approaches for the Philadelphia 76ers, the focus around the team remains the Ben Simmons situation.


The team obviously wants to remain patient and get the best deal that they can get for one of the league’s brightest stars, but they would also rather have him off the team to avoid any awkwardness. The Sixers will want to be sure that everybody is on the same page going forward.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been a team that has checked in on Simmons throughout this process, but they have been hesitant to give up any of their stars. They want to build a team focused on Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell. All the while, they want to add Simmons as well.

Per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Minnesota is still hesitant on that front:

As of right now, the Timberwolves do not have a trade package that offers Morey the win-now assets a team in championship mode wants. They are not going to put Karl-Anthony Towns into any type of multi-team deal to try to get the wheels moving and Anthony Edwards remains untouchable as well. Even if the Wolves did include D’Angelo Russell in an offer — and they have talked all summer about building a team with Towns, Edwards and Russell around Simmons — it would not appear to be the magic bullet move that Morey needs to part ways with one of the best defensive players in the league … yet.

This does not make much sense on the Minnesota side of things as there is an old adage that says you must give up talent in order to acquire talent. If the Timberwolves truly want Simmons, they will have to give up at least one of those guys–probably Russell–to make that move happen.

Unless they can get a third team involved, president Daryl Morey will not settle for anything Minnesota offers for him.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Schadenfreude.  I'm feeling complete schadenfreude with this ongoing Sixer front office bleeding ulcer with only 2 1/2 weeks to training camp.  I'm a bad person.  


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Who’s a bigger pussy Simmons Durant or Kyrie….???

cowens/old school,

The list keeps growing!

db