The NBA season has yet to begin, yet Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Simmons initially stated that he would not return to the Sixers and has shown no indication of relenting on this stance.
In fact, it was recently reported that Simmons is willing to sit out the season and forfeit pay if not traded. If you happen to be a sports fanatic, you’ve seen this movie before in another league. Yes, it’s the Aaron Rodgers movie on the basketball court.
The NBA season has yet to begin, yet Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s be very clear. Ben Simmons is nothing like Rodgers. For one, Rodgers is an all-time great in the NFL and has won a Super Bowl championship. On the other hand, Simmons has not played in a Conference Finals, let alone NBA finals.
That said, the offseason drama that has perpetuated, combined with the lack of recent postseason success, brings a correlation between the two. The ending is quite simple, yet getting to it can be a dramatic experience for both sides.
In terms of the 76ers franchise, they have to make a decision on Simmons and his shooting motion, which disappeared rather shockingly in the playoff loss to Atlanta last season.
Additionally, Doc Rivers’ press conference, when asked about whether or not he can win a championship with Simmons, is telling.
As it pertains to the player, it goes back to the press conference and begs a serious question? Why would Rivers answer in the way he did by saying, “I don’t know.”
He can feel a certain way, but upon it going up public, it’s not out of bounds for a player to feel slighted by the comment.
Wherever Ben Simmons ends up playing, several issues need to be fixed on and off the court.
Ben Simmons has a clean track record when it comes to off-the-court issues. That is, of course, unless it involves being criticized for his performance. But it’s all fair.
Simmons has struggled to shoot the basketball, and at times, has been afraid to do so. Sure, few may take it too far, but given what’s shown on the court, it’s merely the truth, albeit a harsh reality.
It can be fixed, but it appears that it will not take place in Philadelphia. As most will recall, Rodgers returned to Green Bay, and so far, outside of one bad performance, the Green Bay Packers have looked rather impressive thus far.
Is it possible that the offseason drama by Aaron Rodgers was just drama all along? The short answer appears to be yes. Could the Ben Simmons situation also be the same? The answer to that question is the answer from Rivers’ press conference; “I don’t know.”
The NBA season will begin soon, and it’s possible that Simmons won’t be in the 76ers lineup. If he is, then this offseason will go down as just a mere meltdown after an embarrassing playoff exit. If he leaves, on the other hand, this may go down as the moment where the process was eradicated.