Report: Sixers still hoping to convince Ben Simmons to rejoin the team
The Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons have been in a season-long stalemate as they continue to move forward in the 2021-22 season. The Feb. 10 trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Sixers are expected to at least field trade offers for the disgruntled Simmons.
However, the overwhelming sense around the league is that the Sixers will, in fact, hold on to Simmons past the deadline as they have their eyes set on acquiring Brooklyn Nets star James Harden.
On the flip side of that, teams around the league also believe that president Daryl Morey is still trying to convince Simmons to rejoin the team no matter how futile that attempt may seem.
Per NBA veteran report Marc Stein via his Substack, the Sixers are still trying to do so:
If Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey finds a deal he likes for Ben Simmons in the next 13 days, he will surprise an overwhelming majority of his peers. I can’t find a team out there these days that believes Morey is bluffing about keeping Simmons past the deadline to A) first make what sounds to outsiders as a rather hopeless attempt to convince Simmons to rejoin the team for a playoff drive and B) more importantly retain Simmons to offer him as the centerpiece of offseason trade pitches for the likes of Portland’s Damian Lillard, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Boston’s Jaylen Brown and, of course, Brooklyn’s James Harden.
The biggest point of Stein’s report is obviously the fact that the Sixers still want Simmons to rejoin the team in order to help in the playoffs. However, Simmons’ agents met with Morey and the Sixers and their stance has not changed. He does not want to return to Philadelphia and it does sound like it will be a hopeless attempt on their part as they continue to move forward.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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