Sorry i was a dick to you, we really need you now!!! Please come back!!! Yes, yes, this is on Simmons, but the 76ers, from DM to Doc to Embiid are idiots. Did the 3 of them get together, decide they don't like and want Simmons anymore, and figure the best way to move on was to trash him in public before trading him? lol
Of course they said too much. But a lot of it is out of sheer frustration after the elimination. I can understand it. I don't think Morey said anything directly negative about Simmons. He just "leaked" the fact that he wanted to trade Simmons for Harden. That kind of trade rumors happen all the time. If Simmons is too sensitive to handle it, then he's in the wrong profession.
If you actually listen to what Embid said, it wasn't even that bad. Asked what the turning points of the game was, Embiid listed: passing up the dunk and only hitting 1 of 2 free throw, he blamed their defense on the next possession and then finally he said "it's on me, down 4, I tried to make something happen and made a turnover... that was the turning point." Doc's comments were perhaps unwise and too truthful in today's culture of ego-driven yet ultra sensitive and entitled stars, but even then it wasn't horrible or mean spirited. All he said when asked if Simmons can be a championship level point guard was "I don't know". This is far from trashing Simmons.
All he said? Consider the context. The Sixers, the top seed, were just eliminated from the playoffs by an Atlanta team that had an historical record of 0-9 in game 7’s on the road. Philadelphia, to put it mildly, were favored going in. Losing that series was an enormous upset. Simmons played a key role at the end of game 7 in that defeat. We all know that, it’s been discussed, oh, only a few hundred times here. I haven’t said a lot about that game, since others were saying much of what I’d say anyway. In fact, I’ve criticized Simmons several times and have said we shouldn’t trade for him more than once, but because I think his behavior for months has been a steaming pile of excrement, not because of how that game ended. I’ll say something now, though. Rivers saying that about Simmons after the end of that game should have ultimately gotten him fired. Rivers didn’t have to say anything. Heck, knowing the guy was under contract for years, he could have said something to buck Simmons up after a horrific loss that ended their season. It was a game 7, Rivers was the head coach during those 3 losses leading up to that game. He bore some responsibility himself. Again, he didn’t have to say anything. Instead, he said just about the worst thing he could come up with. An expression of doubt about Simmons that goes to the core of the young man as a player, one who in that moment was still supposed to be a key part of a contending team for more seasons to come. A young man he’s supposed to coach during those seasons. It was a cheap shot, unworthy of Rivers as head coach, in my opinion. I don’t have a problem at all with what Embid said. Rivers? I’m surprised that he’s still coaching the team. Just my opinion. I’ve thought this for quite a while, but never felt like getting sucked into the BBS melodrama that was going on here, seemingly forever. I still want nothing to do with Simmons and find it astonishing that he’s conducted himself the way he has for so freaking long, but Morey should have fired Rivers over this early on, in my opinion. Not to “spare” the feelings of Simmons, but because Rivers proved himself in that moment to be lacking a couple of things he needed to have when dealing with the players he was coaching. Judgement and empathy, in my opinion.
Last thing I want to do is defend Doc Rivers. When I wrote "that's all he said" I meant it literally (the former meaning) more than figuratively. As I said in the post, it was unwise and too truthful, but it was literally all he said. Fire, castigate Rivers for his inept rotation, inability to not choke and bad coaching, but simply admitting not knowing is something I can't go crazy about.
Heck, you just gave me an opportunity to say what I thought about Rivers, so I should be thanking you. Thanks! ;-)
Alright yall, it was hyperbole, lol... But yeah, Embiid pussyfooted around basically saying "We lost because Simmons is a p***y!". Frankly, might have been better had he actually said that, obviously not in those words, but "Ben's gotta dunk that, he can't be scared of going to the line"... would we be in a different situation today? Well maybe to the extent it wouldn't be this passive aggressive that Embiid did and a move might have happened very quickly instead of the 76ers being like should we/shouldn't we trade him?!?!? That said, be it him, or Doc, the better approach is either "no comment" or "we have 100% faith in Ben" That's it. When Doc basically says this guy isn't a PG for a championship squad, how is DM supposed to pick up the phone and be like "give me ALL your assets!!!" when the guy on the other line can easily be like "wtf, you guys don't think he's a championship PG, why would we do that?"
This guy was already checked out of Philly and was just looking for an excuse. Nothing was said by any of them to get up in arms about, Doc said he did not know and somehow that is slander? He never said he was unplayable, he was talking about the pg position for Ben and yet that is some monumental slight?
It doesn't matter if its monumental or not. The guy clearly was having confidence problems. And the 76ers clearly wanted to move on from him. The point isn't "Ben is right!!" Idgaf about Ben. I'm talking about the 76ers mismanagement. Which idgaf about either lol, but is just interesting watching from the sideline. They messed up the entire process of trading him. Surely, you'd agree that having Ben report to training camp, not act like a lil b****, etc. would have resulted in a better trade process? We'll see if he gets moved here and what DM gets. If he doesn't get moved, an entire season of him not playing is also clearly screwing it up. just my two cents.
