Even before he attended LSU and was eligible for theNBA Draft, Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons was one of the most sought-after players in the world. His combination of size and playmaking was nearly unmatched.
Some compared Simmons to the likes of Magic Johnson and LeBron James. The frame, strength, and length were there and so were the passing skills. But, as you may know by now, he's failed to live up to those standards.
While an elite defender and one of the best passers in the league, Simmons' lack of improvement and poor shooting have taken a toll on his impact in the playoffs. And that's why he decided to skip the Olympics to work on his craft ahead of next season.
Ben Simmons Reached Out To His Australian Teammates After Winning The Medal
Even though he didn't play, Simmons still reached out to his teammates and congratulated them over the bronze medal. He also shouted them out on social media after beating Luka Doncic's Slovenia:
"I have spoken with Ben, and whilst we wanted him to be a part of our team, we understand and support his decision and he has made it clear that this is something that he wants to be a part of in the future,” coach Brian Goorjian said. “It is a pretty rough time for him right now, and I know it is something that he wanted to do, but the timing just hasn’t worked."
NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons Wants To Be Traded
But it seems like he doesn't have the same type of relationship with the Sixers anymore. According to a recent report, he's ignoring Joel Embiid's calls and doesn't want to play at the City of Brotherly Love anymore:
“Ben Simmons’ relationship reportedly “beyond repair” is ignoring Joel Embiid’s phone calls. Doesn’t want to get traded to Raptors or Blazers. Open to getting traded to one of the California teams,” reported Jason Dumas of Bleacher Report.
At this point, it seems like it's not a matter of if Simmons will be traded but when he'll be traded and where to. He's still young and has plenty of room for improvement, but his steep price could dent his trade value at this point.
