76ers targeting trade partners for Ben Simmons in the Western Conference
Jeff Zillgitt: Within this story is obviously the Ben Simmons situation, and while the Sixers said yesterday they want him on the court, they’re also targeting the Western Conference for potential trade partners, I’m told.
Source: Twitter @JeffZillgitt
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New report on the Ben Simmons situation, potential timing for a trade, and details of his meeting with the Sixers, including how Doc Rivers had hoped to utilize Simmons in a Giannis-like role. @ringer theringer.com/nba/2021/9/28/… – 3:06 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Media Day Monday is meant to carry an upbeat spirit of renewal. Media Day 2021 certainly did not.
Delving into all the NBA latest with Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Bradley Beal and more in my (free-to-all) Tuesday dispatch: marcstein.substack.com/p/true-case-of… – 1:57 PM
Howard Beck @HowardBeck
On the Crossover, @Chris Mannix and I tackle the Ben Simmons saga (again!), the Kyrie-Beal-Wiggins anti-vax vortex and Dame Lillard’s happiness in Portlandia.
Listen/subscribe: link.chtbl.com/crossover pic.twitter.com/MGqyj4o2Nw – 1:49 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Per @Basketball-Reference,
Ben Simmons is one of five players in NBA history to dish out more than 2,000 assists and grab more than 2,000 rebounds over his first four seasons in the league.
The other four players are:
LeBron James,
Oscar Roberston,
Grant Hill and
Magic Johnson – 1:47 PM
John Gonzalez @JohnGonzalez
Don’t call it a comeback: @ChrisRyan77 on life after Ben Simmons for the Sixers
theringer.com/nba/2021/9/28/… – 1:23 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Running through a busy Media Day, from Kyrie’s status, the Sixers response to Ben Simmons, Damian Lillard, Zion’s injury, Porzingis’s position, more. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 11:42 AM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Sarah Kustok on Nets media day, Kyrie, expectations for Brooklyn; then @Tim Bontemps + I on MPJ’s extension in Denver, the latest on Ben Simmons, and a preview of the defending champion Bucks:
Apple: apple.co/3maYBXH
Spotify: spoti.fi/3iakdCf – 11:32 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Ben Simmons no longer wants to play with 76ers star Joel Embiid nba.nbcsports.com/2021/09/28/rep… – 11:05 AM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Ben Simmons has made it clear that the pairing with Joel Embiid has run its course #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/28/rep… via @SixersWire #NBA – 10:56 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons believes his pairing with Joel Embiid on the #Sixers has “run its course” inquirer.com/sixers/ben-sim… via @phillyinquirer – 10:53 AM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Among other things, Joel Embiid spoke about being disappointed Ben Simmons isn’t in camp. He pointed to their success in the regular season as a duo.
With Simmons holding out, the Sixers are facing the possibility they won’t have that successful formula: theathletic.com/2853285/2021/0… pic.twitter.com/x52nWRfOB2 – 8:30 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
‘You can’t blame the Ben Simmons saga on Philly being a tough place to play’ by Locked On 76ers – Daily Podcast On The Philadelphia Sixers megaphone.link/LKN5731843645 – 8:17 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
‘You can’t blame the Ben Simmons saga on Philly being a tough place to play’ by Locked On 76ers – Daily Podcast On The Philadelphia Sixers #Sixers megaphone.link/LKN5731843645 – 7:28 AM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Sometimes I think “Philly isn’t that different from other sports markets” and then I find out, for example, that Hurricane Schwartz was going after Ben Simmons before doing the weather lol pic.twitter.com/fWAEarkjHB – 12:59 AM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Column: With or without Ben Simmons, the #Sixers will need Joel Embiid to be even better anchoring the defense during the 2021-22 #NBA season: bit.ly/3kN9Eqc pic.twitter.com/kxNPcnvuO9 – 10:30 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Dug this out of my Snapchat memories. 5 years ago today, I began covering Ben Simmons at Stockton University for 2016 training camp. #Sixers pic.twitter.com/jxkAwgX8tq – 9:38 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
In the absence of Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and others are ready to step up and provide production #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/27/set… via @SixersWire #NBA – 9:32 PM
Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
The 76ers should be using this time to focus on how they stack up with Milwaukee & Brooklyn. Instead, they’re trying to mitigate the fallout of having Ben Simmons stage a public tantrum until he gets his way. They used media day to say they want him back. washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/09… – 8:37 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Daryl Morey says Ben Simmons requested trade: ‘We were not looking to trade him’ nba.nbcsports.com/2021/09/27/dar… – 8:01 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid expressed his disappointment with what’s going on around Ben Simmons, not with Ben specifically, but with how it got to this point. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/27/six… via @SixersWire #NBA – 7:53 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Daryl Morey said he expects Ben Simmons to be a Sixer. Joel Embiid went long on his disappointment, based on the Sixers’ recent success. As Doc Rivers put it, “We’ll have to live our way through it.”
Pregame Birds reading on a unique Sixers media day: theathletic.com/2853285/2021/0… – 7:38 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons was a media day no-show. But Joel Embiid and the #Sixers still want him back: ‘I really hope he changes his mind’ inquirer.com/sixers/joel-em… via @phillyinquirer – 6:46 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Unsurprisingly, nearly every Sixer who stepped to the podium for Monday’s media day was asked about Ben Simmons. And as Doc Rivers continued to publicly navigate the situation, he was mostly open with some testy moments:
inquirer.com/sixers/doc-riv… – 6:36 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
As expected, Ben Simmons skipped media day today. The Sixers sound convinced he’s not going to be with them, at least for a bit. So what’s the plan without him? Coach and players weigh in phillyvoice.com/sixers-plan-wi… – 6:31 PM
Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
Matisse Thybulle recently weighed in on the Ben Simmons situation on JJ Redick’s podcast:
“He was thrown under the bus… I lost us the game, which lost us the series, and nobody really spoke about it. They wanted to talk about [Ben] passing up the dunk.” basketballnews.com/stories/matiss… – 6:05 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: With or without Ben Simmons, the #Sixers are going to need Joel Embiid to be even better at the defensive end during the 2021-22 #NBA season: bit.ly/3kN9Eqc #76ers pic.twitter.com/x3p2YwvLSh – 3:30 PM
More on this storyline
Noah Levick: From Doc Rivers: -Still expects Ben Simmons to be here at some point -More players should feel free to push ball up court without him -Second unit enjoyed playing with Niang, his shooting -via Twitter @NoahLevick / September 28, 2021
A source confirmed that the Sixers’ words failed to produce the expected effect within Simmons’ camp. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / September 28, 2021
A source close to the situation told The Inquirer Tuesday morning that Simmons’ tenure in Philadelphia “is done. He’s not coming back.” The source also noted Simmons was never going to meet with teammates last week in Los Angeles because his decision had already been made. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / September 28, 2021
