One Sixers dud from first few weeks: Ben Simmons
Not only is Ben Simmons still missing games, but the situation hasn’t exactly smoothed over. Even as the Sixers thrive without him, the headlines have only gotten muckier. In the middle of Thursday’s loss to Toronto, Shams Charania of The Athletic dropped a new report, in which Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul lambasted the Sixers’ insincere handling of Simmons’ reported mental health problems.
Whether you believe Simmons is struggling with his mental health or not — and he should get the benefit of the doubt — it’s hard to disagree with Paul’s central point. The Sixers should either come out and say, bluntly, that Simmons is lying, or make a real effort to support the mental health struggles. Fining him and putting external pressure on him to play is not the route to take if you believe his mental health struggles are legitimate.
And, regardless of your position on the matter above, it has become clear that there’s no resolution in the near future. Simmons is miserable and he will continue to make the front office miserable. The Sixers can compete without him, that much is certain, but Daryl Morey seems determined to drag this out until a superstar comes knocking.
In the opinion of this writer, it’s past time Simmons was traded. The Sixers have to set standards, and you can’t let Simmons walk for pennies on the dollar, but there’s reason to believe Philadelphia can get reasonable value right now. Even if Simmons were to return to play, there’s no guarantee the Sixers can get a fully engaged Simmons ever again. It’s past time for a breakup.