The Philadelphia 76ers went through hell during the Ben Simmons saga. The former first-overall pick refused to play and claimed he was mentally distressed, but the Sixers thought he was bluffing and withheld his salary.
Eventually, Simmons was traded, and they landed James Harden on the deal. Simmons didn't suit up for the Brooklyn Nets as he was nursing an injured back, and he managed to recoup some of his forfeited money after filing a grievance against the Sixers.
That agreement officially closed the door on the Ben Simmons saga in Philadelphia. However, some of his former teammates may still hold grudges, and that's why some speculate Tyrese Maxey may have taken a subtle shot at him in his latest interview.
NBA Rumors: Did Tyrese Maxey Take A Shot At Ben Simmons While Praising His Teammates?
“It’s really fun to be out there with guys that really care about winning and care about getting better," Maxey told Yahoo Sports. "You know, James (Harden) coming to the team, he kind of fit right in; it was really amazing. And now we have guys like PJ Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I just can’t wait to get started.”
“The fanbase in Philadelphia is amazing. It’s second to none. Just the hard-working people that are always at the Wells Fargo Center, work extremely hard to get there. It just makes me feel real comfortable and feel like it’s (Philadelphia) home," he added.
Shot at Simmons or not, Maxey has a valid point. The Sixers are a better team now than they were during the Simmons era, and it's not just in basketball terms. They're committed, they're pushing for the same goal, and they're willing to go to war for each other, which is more than they could say two years ago.
