[ad_1]
The Philadelphia 76ers players wanted to travel to Los Angeles this week to meet Ben Simmons and spend time convincing their All-Star teammate to sign up for the 2021-22 season with them, but were told not to come. and that Simmons didn’t want to meet, sources say Athleticism.
Top 76ers executives – such as Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle – and most of the squad had to take a roll to see Simmons before being turned away, sources said. Multiple sources have said that Simmons doesn’t want his teammates, some of whom he considers friends, to make the Philadelphia-Los Angeles ride out of courtesy because he won’t change his mind about wanting a trade.
The 76ers’ training camp begins next week, with Media Day Monday.
Simmons has mentally checked out as a member of the 76ers, sources said, meaning he will never appear in Philadelphia this season, the organization may never receive the same dedicated player again.
The three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive first-team member was almost traded last season in a package for James Harden before the Houston Rockets picked the Brooklyn Nets’ offer for Harden. Then the 76ers had a tumultuous end to the campaign in a seven-game series loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals and the coach’s post-game commentary 7- Chief Doc Rivers and Embiid who have added to a deteriorated relationship between the team and the player.
In mid-July, the 76ers opened business conversations around Simmons and engaged with interested teams, like Athleticism reported.
So far, the 76ers haven’t received an offer they feel is enough to move Simmons, and the franchise has wanted Simmons to return to join an Eastern Conference contender. Philadelphia has no pending trade, though teams are calling, sources say.
Simmons is four years old and $ 147 million on his max contract.
For the 76ers, the collective agreement and Uniform Player Agreement provide a number of powerful levers when it comes to Simmons. Players promise when signing the contract that they are providing a gaming service to the team exclusively, so if a player breaches and fails to provide services, they may be subject to fines and withheld gaming payments.
(Photo: Rocky Widner / NBAE via Getty Images)
[ad_2]
Source link