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Ben Simmons Won’t Workout for Sixers: What it Means

By Josh Wilson

Mar 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) sits on the bench during the first half of game seven of the SEC tournament against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) sits on the bench during the first half of game seven of the SEC tournament against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ben Simmons is refusing to workout for the Philadelphia 76ers, but we need to think about what it really means.

Ben Simmons won’t workout for the Philadelphia 76ers. That was the biggest headline of the slow news day that Wednesday was, and of course, headlines paid tribute to the Sixers in a negative light. The ESPN report of the denial of the workout said that “Ben Simmons declines to work out for Philadelphia 76ers.”

The reality? Simmons isn’t just not workout out for the Sixers, he’s not working out for any team in the NBA. He’s too good for all of that? Who knows what the real motive is.

Simmons has conducted a few private workout sessions that we’ve seen through draft insiders such as ESPN’s Chad Ford over the last few weeks, but he’s one of the standalone players that has not conducted a workout for a team.

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Simmons, who is projected to go first overall, may not even be responsible for not working out. His agent could be advising him not to, and be doing all but “forcing” him to stay away from specific teams. It may be a smart move for him, as he will likely go first overall in the draft whether he works out for the Sixers or not.

I believe Brandon Ingram working out for the team and Simmons not is important in a sense of connections, but that the Sixers will still draft him.

When Simmons works out for a team, media can take that and twist it into a narrative that conspires that Simmons is in cahoots with a specific team, and that he knows where he’s going. That could be the reason why he wants to stay away from specific teams.

But what does all of this mean? Does this mean Simmons does not want to be a Sixer?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just a few days ago, Simmons mentioned in a radio interview that he wanted to go first overall, and had no reservations about the Philadelphia 76ers. He has no issue with the Sixers, and that’s been made clear. He will likely be a Sixer, and he seems prepared to play for Philly.

Simmons is not making a statement of any sort that he is unhappy to be going to Philly next week. If he were doing that, he would be working out for Los Angeles and not Philly. And even if he did that, it would mean nothing. Simmons is completely at the mercy of the teams drafting him in this situation, and barring a complete meltdown where he demands a trade, Simmons will play for whichever team that drafts him.

Players often refuse workouts with teams, and teams still draft them. Refusing to workout means next to nothing in the NBA world.

Next: Medical Flags Take Center Stage in 2016 NBA Draft

Simmons will likely be a Sixer next Thursday. Get ready Sixers fans, it’s happening. No matter what the headlines insinuate.