Sixers rumors: Philadelphia is “open” to Ben Simmons return

The Ben Simmons saga continues, with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne shining new light on a complex situation. In a recent appearance on The Jump, Shelburne noted that Philadelphia is open to a Ben Simmons return. She even went as far as to say the Sixers may “prefer” that, with Simmons entering his age-25 season as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and three-time All-Star.

It is no secret that Daryl Morey has canvassed the league for potential trade partners, and there’s no need to relitigate Simmons’ second-round collapse. That said, there seems to be a great distance between the Sixers’ asking price, and the price teams are willing to pay.

In general, Philadelphia is taking the right approach. Pressure from the fanbase should not determine the course of a franchise. Simmons has plenty of on-court value, and if the offers are not worthy of Simmons’ talent, then the Sixers should gladly keep him around. There is, however, a slight problem.

The Sixers are open to keeping Ben Simmons, and may even prefer it. The 25-year-old point guard, however, might hold a different position.

As Shelburne notes, both Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid lobbed under-hand criticism at Simmons following Philadelphia’s Game 7 loss to Atlanta. Rivers said he is unsure if Simmons is a “championship point guard.” That may have burned some bridges, with Simmons evidently in favor of a trade. That does not come as a shock given the recent report that Simmons is “in step” with the Sixers’ ongoing negotiations.

This is beginning to feel like an extremely unfortunate situation for the Sixers, who are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Simmons being discontent does nothing to help his trade value, which is already lower than Morey would like. Trying to trade a disgruntled star coming off the worst four-game stretch of his career will never yield equal value. If the Sixers trade Simmons for lesser talent, it could knock them out of contention entirely. They have one shot at trading Simmons, and if Damian Lillard doesn’t ask out soon, the list of appealing options is very short.

If the Sixers cannot land Lillard, and if the offers for Simmons do not properly account for his on-court value, then it is wise to keep him. In the end, Simmons has no leverage. He has four years on his contract, and again, is coming off an utterly embarrassing playoff run. Unless he gives up game checks and refuses to play, it’s not as though he can force Philadelphia’s hand.

That said, palpable discomfort between the franchise and its second-best player in the middle of Joel Embiid’s prime window of contention is not ideal. And, while the fanbase should not determine Morey’s course of action, it is notable that most Sixer fans actively despise Simmons and wish him gone. The chances of creating a healthy ecosystem in the locker room and around the team are slim. Doc Rivers has lost locker rooms before (see: LA Clippers, 2019-20).

Simmons has never been a player who thrives under pressure, be it on the court in the playoffs, or in the locker room. By all indications, Simmons has insulated himself from criticism and accountability his entire career. He can no longer do so, and given the disconnect between him and the team, it will be fascinating to see how Simmons performs in the event of a return.

Until then, the Sixers will surely keep asking around to see if anyone will meet their price point in a trade. If that doesn’t happen, we could enter next season with a deeply uncomfortable situation on our hands.