Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are headed towards a bitter divorce as the former has completely ghosted the team. He is refusing to respond to any of his teammates, and he won’t even pick up the phone for 76ers management. The 76ers have now expressed their desire to trade Simmons, and it’s clear both sides want nothing to do with each other.
Just a few months ago, everything seemed fine, however, Simmons’ horrific play in the NBA Playoffs ultimately made him a target of criticism. Simmons hasn’t handled this criticism particularly well, and it has many pundits wondering whether or not Simmons is a viable superstar in the NBA.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
In a new interview, Sixers reporter Keith Pompey told The Mike Missanelli Show that he thinks Simmons will be gone before the start of the regular season.
“I felt like, talking to people I spoke to and sources, they all thought it was going to happen in the preseason,” Pompey said. “Happen maybe right before training camp, in training camp, what have you. Maybe right before the final rosters. But the belief is that he is still going to get traded. I think that’s right.”
It will be interesting to see how the Sixers react over the coming months, especially as teams fill out their rosters prior to the start of the season. Simmons is a desirable player but after the postseason he just had, the price tag has lowered substantially.
[Via]