76ers coach Doc Rivers pumped up Ben Simmons before last season. Rivers pumped up Simmons during the regular season. Rivers pumped up Simmons during the playoffs.
But after Philadelphia lost in the second round, Rivers said he wasn’t sure whether Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team.
Now, Simmons wants to be traded.
Keith Pompey of The Inquirer on 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia:
I doubt Simmons appreciated Rivers’ comments.
But I wouldn’t get too hung up on those remarks.
They weren’t even the harshest thing a 76er said about Simmons that night. Joel Embiid went out of his way to call out Simmons for passing on an open dunk in Philadelphia’s Game 7 loss to the Hawks.
Simmons appears headed out of Philadelphia for numerous reasons. The central one: He and Embiid are not an optimal pairing on the court or off, a problem that has taken greater urgency as Embiid has become increasingly capable of leading a championship contender.
The 76ers have spent the offseason trying to trade Simmons. That certainly hasn’t strengthened his commitment to the team.
For what it’s worth, after his initial moment of honesty in frustration, Rivers spoke of a plan to help Simmons improve.
Simmons has been unresponsive.
