Sixers star Joel Embiid addresses Ben Simmons saga, Harden trade rumors

The Philadelphia 76ers are having a pretty successful season in the 2021-22 campaign as they are off to a 32-21 start and are sitting at 1.5 games back of the No. 1 seed in the East. The Sixers were expected to have a solid season, but amid the Ben Simmons saga, nobody expected Philadelphia to be playing this well.

Simmons has yet to play for Philadelphia after requesting a trade in the 2021 offseason and after making his return to the team in October, he told the team that he is not yet mentally ready to return and play for the team. It had been a tumultuous summer where some things were said after the team’s Game 7 loss in the 2021 playoffs.

Even at this point of the season, Simmons is still a bit upset with teammate Joel Embiid and coach Doc Rivers about the comments made after that game. It is why he wants out and the Sixers could potentially move him to the Brooklyn Nets for star James Harden.

Embiid joined “The Mike Misanelli Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia on Monday and he was asked about the Simmons situation and how he has perceived everything that has gone down:

Embiid when asked about the Simmons situation

I’ve been saying since preseason, it’s unfortunate, you know, everything that’s happened. Everybody’s at fault, but at the end of the day, you got to look at yourself and when we lost, I looked at myself. I knew I wasn’t good enough, I knew I wasn’t healthy enough, and I knew I wasn’t good enough. So I just looked at myself and I try to find ways that I can be better and I can help the team just be better I worked hard this summer to try to improve in every facet of my game and I know a lot of other guys did or you can look at the improvement that Tyrese he made and Tobias has made, every other guy on the team so I think at the end of the day, you gotta have some self-awareness and kind of look at yourself and see how you can help the team. It’s never about one player. Like I always say, you can’t win basketball 1-on-5. You need your teammates. You need everybody to do their part.

Embiid on the comments he made after Game 7:

You look at the way I spoke about it, I didn’t call anybody specifically. I just called out a bunch of events that happened, which was we missed a free throw and which was Matisse (Thybulle). Matisse wasn’t mad at me. He just knew he knew that I’m challenging and like, I want us to be better. I want to be better and I want my teammates to also be better. He didn’t get mad at me and then I also called out my own turnovers. I had a big one in that fourth quarter by Gallinari, he stole the ball from me. There was also a bunch of other events. We fouled 3-point shooters in the end of that four quarter. There was a lot of stuff that happened and, obviously, coach made some comments.

Embiid when asked if Simmons' reaction is unreasonable

Oh, definitely. Definitely. You look at what has been said I just think this is a business. If we don’t get the results, you guys are always on us. You guys are always booing us and all that stuff which at times, we do deserve. You’re not playing well, you deserve the boos. You deserve to be let know that. ‘Oh, you’re not playing well, you need to be better.’ I just don’t think it was reasonable.

Embiid on if the Sixers would welcome Simmons back if he decides to return

Honestly, I’m trying to win. I’m trying to win a championship. Whatever that’s gonna help me achieve that, I’m fine with whatever. I’ve always said that. Obviously, we’re a better team with him on the floor and I’m sure a lot of people agree, even if they don’t want to agree, it doesn’t matter. We still are a better team with him on the floor. So, to me, my goal has always been to win a championship. I don’t hate anybody and I don’t have any problems with anybody around the league. Let’s say, I really hated someone on another team and the front office went and traded for that guy because they believe that we could win a championship, you know what? My goal is to win a championship. I’ll be fine with it, but like I said, I don’t hate anybody and I love everybody. I don’t know about how everybody else feels but to me you know, I’m trying to win a championship that, you know, whatever it takes to accomplish that, I’m fine with that.

Embiid on if he has tried talking to Simmons

Joel: Yeah

Mike Missanelli: Has he accepted it? Has he returned calls, texts, anything?

Joel: It’s private. I don’t want to get into that. It’s private.

Embiid on if he would like to play with Harden

I haven’t heard anything, but I’ve seen this stuff coming out. He plays for the Brooklyn Nets, you know, there’s nothing I can do about that. I love all my teammates, but that’s like, you actually a question like, would you love playing with Steph Curry? Obviously, the top players, they all make each other better, and he’s gotten close before. He has gone to the conference finals. He’s gotten close to making it to the finals, but that’s something I really can’t comment about it, because he plays for another team and he’s not realistic. We all see the same thing on the internet and I don’t know what’s true and what’s not, but I do believe that with the guys that we have, my teammates, I do believe that we have a chance together, but like I said, it’s gonna take all of us to play at the highest level possible to be able to compete.

Embiid on if he could go back and change anything with Simmons

The only thing I can think about is I mean the comments, but then again, I look back at what was said during the year and coach really had all of our backs, and especially him all year long always praising and all that stuff. So if that one thing was the reason why all this is happening, then it’s not fair because everybody’s allowed to make mistakes, especially in the heat of the moment, but I really believe that it is really deeper than that. Obviously, some people deal with pressure differently, especially from fans and stuff, but to me personally, honestly, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m honest. I won’t go back on what I said especially because I didn’t mention anybody. I didn’t call out anybody.

Embiid on if Simmons is acting unreasonable

Yeah, whatever word you want to use. I just don’t think it’s fair. I always go back and this is a business. If a team came offered, and I’m just making a suggestion, I’m not saying is even possible, let’s say a team can offer which would, which would never happen anyways, a team came and offer let’s say, what team can I use? Golden State. They came and they offered let’s say Steph, Klay (Thompson), and two first-round picks for me. You think the Sixers will say no to that? Of course, they would say yes to that. This is a business. You never know what can happen. You can’t get your feelings hurt just because your name is in trade rumors.

Embiid did clarify that he is not addressing Simmons-Harden specifically. The last comment was just trade rumors in general.

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