The Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons aren't likely to make amends before the trade deadline. Simmons will stay on the sidelines until the end of the season and his temper tantrum will go on for as long as they decide to keep him.
The Sixers continue to hold out Simmons' paychecks until he's back on the floor, yet it's clear that it's not about money anymore. However, Daryl Morey still refuses to let him go unless another team meets his demands.
But that will be easier said than done. Morey wants way too much for a player who's shown no desire to play or be coached. That's why Shaquille O'Neal took a big shot at him and how he's dealt with criticism.
Shaq Calls Ben Simmons A 'Crybaby', Claims He Doesn't Respect Him
"He's (Joel Embiid) doing what he's supposed to do," Shaq said on TNT. "He's dominating... I stay on big guys because I care about them. I want them to play a certain way, I want them to play at a certain level."
"The difference between him and his soft partner (Ben Simmons), is he can take criticism without being a crybaby, and he still wants to play," Shaq added. "'Cause me and Charles, we've been on him. We stay on him. We tell him to his face what he needs to do."
"He didn't cry, he didn't say "I want to be traded", he didn't complain about mistreatment. That's the difference. The other guy I don't respect... You're missing a whole season because they asked your coach a question "Can we win without you" and your coach gave a funny answer. That should tell you, you need to get in the summertime and work on your game... Great players get criticized. Great players also step up to the criticism... I would get rid of him," the Big Diesel concluded.
Shaq has a strong point right there. Most NBA stars silence their critics on the floor and prove how much their teams need them. They don't hide. Simmons' reputation will forever be stained for this incident but hopefully, he'll be back on the court sooner rather than later.
