I understand your argument and not disagreeing but why put up with that headache for 4 years. Why waste Embiid’s prime when you can get something back? The only way they lose a deal is if they only get draft picks back. They’re window is now and probably closed in 4 years when Embiid is damaged goods from all the injuries. They should’ve taken Indy’s deal for Brogdon.
The team has no choice but to say ‘of course we will take him back’. They have little power to say who they will/won’t play with…but to act like all these shenanigans won’t impact their team chemistry negatively is just unrealistic. …I’m so sick of posters like you who say things like “your 1000% wrong about this” and provide no logic or reasoning of why except ‘because I think otherwise’. It’s such a lazy move…
yeah -I mentioned this is another post but I thought Embid hadn’t done enough as a leader to steer this situation and it’s nice to see him as a leader in the org now make the case to the fans that the fans need to support Simmons. It’s a real start which is what I have been saying for a while that the only way this situation is going to be resolved is if Morey, Doc, Simmons, and Embid step up as leaders and take accountability for their mistakes and take steps to put the big picture ahead of their own immediate agendas. Embid gets it, it sounds like Simmons is starting to make the effort - let’s see if Morey and Doc can take the hint too. As Michelle Robert’s said - Morey’s “we can do this for 4 more years” comment did absolutely nothing to help any party involved.
I'll put this here, but it is a broader point than just Ben Simmons. People who say, "the League needs to do something about these cases", or "Players shouldn't be allowed to ask for trades" are not thinking things through. In reality, you cannot do anything about a player who asks to be traded, that's just a verbal request and cannot be made actionable. Let's say you can ban players asking explicitly for a trade; then they won't, they'll just say "I'm not happy here, I'd be happy somewhere else." This is substantively a trade request, but how do you litigate it? Players should not express opinions on their happiness? Player contracts should make them to be happy? Now, if a player says "Trade me or else I won't show up", like what Simmons/Clutch did, that's in essence, "I am going to breach my contract". And teams have remedies for that, as we saw with Phily. There is no need for additional rules for these cases. If a player wants to breach his contract, whether because he wants a trade, he's not happy, he's offended, or he wants to spend time with family or whatever reason, there is enough on the books to deal with that. What teams don't understand is that a contract does not entitle them that a player must be happy with the team during the duration of the contract. Once a player becomes unhappy, you have three options: 1. Try to make up (Like Charlie Thomas and Dream did), 2. Trade him, or 3. Have an unhappy player poison your team. That happens regardless of whether a player explicitly asks for a trade or doesn't. The league cannot do anything to prevent that, they cannot mandate players be happy with the team during the duration of the contract. Obviously, teams in that situation would always be bitter, being the "scorned woman" . However, if they are rational, a trade request actually helps to get clarity and get assets. people who cry and moan about the issue completely ignore that last part. The contract cannot entitle you to the player unconditional happiness and commitment, but it does entitle you to compensation. Think about, for example, the AD and Dwight trades to the Lakers. Both players had a year on their contract, and asking for trade allowed the teams to get something back instead of losing the player for nothing in free agency. Orlando got Vucevic, NO got Lonzo, Ingrham, Hart and a bunch of draft capital. Were they bitter? Sure. But think what happens if players are completely shut down from asking for trades or expressing unhappiness? They would Toronto-VinceCarter-it for another year and then leave. Would that be better for the team?
I never said I was upset by anything? I explained why I thought Simmons had a right to feel offended and put off by the organization. I never said I was mad at the Sixers for how they treated him, I just said they made the situation worse and that I wasn't surprised that Doc Rivers keeps making the situation worse. Calling it clever doesn't mean I approve of the move lol, it's just a descriptor of the move. I really don't care if you think of me as unprincipled or anything, think whatever you like. I never insulted you though but you do you. And talk about underhanded moves...wow...blackballing him is a lot more extreme than whatever he's doing. The league can try to do that after the fact when it's time to negotiate the CBA. That's years away IIRC. I doubt they can amend such a huge change and will do so for this situation...don't think it would change anything, as mentioned below. I also doubt the NBAPA will think blackballing a player because he asked out is the solution. You act as if this doesn't happen every year. Like a guy didn't potentially fake an injury to try and get traded and another guy didn't just play badly on purpose to show he wasn't going to deal with being on a team anymore. You said that Sixers shouldn't accept him lowering his trade value...but yes, they have to. Because Ben Simmons is still protected under the law as a free person. That means if he decided to race motorbikes next week and screw up his back, oh well. All the Sixers can do is fine him for breach of contract but his trade value is messed up now, right? You think the Texans are happy about Watson demanding a trade AND then finding out his legal issues? You know how much harder that's made him to trade? Watson up to that point was doing the same thing, being as toxic as possible, and this is in a league with shorter contracts, less guarantees, all that...doesn't matter. The player still can tank his value on purpose because he's still a free person to do whatever the hell he wants to do....and those actions, on the field of play or off of it, will affect his trade value and the players threat is simple. "Trade me right now or things will get worse." As @NewAge said here...The Sixers have 3 options. Try to make it up to him and resolve the situation. Trade him. Keep him around and deal with the shenanigans. This is really all they can do. They don't have the power to blacklist him anyway because clearly there is a list of teams that want him on their team. The NBA currently just doesn't roll like that any way, thankfully. I think the Sixers are right in giving him time, whether he's faking it or not, forcing him onto the court while he's unhappy is only going to lead to them losing games. They will play much better without unhappy Simmons while they try to make up to him to get him wanting to be there and play again. Seems to be their best plan of action right now given what's happened.
They went through 7 years of the "process" and so must have higher expectations than Brogdon, Tobias and injury-prone Embiid to have a run at a championship after failing to do so with better/younger players in the years past. Especially, with Morey and his two-superstars-or-bust philosophy. And so it's safe to assume that they would put up with the "headache" if it provides a chance for a better trade. Also, 4 years was pretty obviously a sabre-rattling posturing by one camp in an employment dispute. I doubt many people are taking it at a word's value, NBPA VP woman's statement notwithstanding. I'm weirded out by some people here. We are fans here and we root for a team to win. It's already unfortunate reality that top 30 players get to say "the org is not doing enough for me to win a chip" and so decide to leave for greener pastures. Now we have top 50 players saying "I'm not feeling the vibe here, so I'm going to fake a long term disability and a ton of drama" instead of being professional and try to earn the millions he is collecting from the fans while working with the management on a fair trade. Imagine Chris Paul doing this latter "Simmon's" approach right after he had his hamstring injury in the playoffs. It's ridiculous to defend such players as far as I'm concerned. And as a fan, I don't really give a f*ck if someone in the organization publicly offended the player in question. As a fan, I'm looking out for organization's interest first and foremost. This can happen to any team if people justify Simmons and it becomes a norm. If Durant decides to leave at the end of his contractual obligation because he was offended, then I get it. It's totally his right, but not at the beginning of his contractual obligation. (Not to mention that Durant suffered an achile's injury and is top 5 player in the league)
I think the bolded is the difference. The organization doesn't get to treat players however they like and the organization is not entitled to a players happiness or loyalty. If an organization wants a player to be happy and loyal then they have to earn it. It can happen to any team but it doesn't because some organizations do a better job at keeping players happy and some organizations do not.
You can miss games and practices for "personal reasons" because you are not having fun. Eric Gordon approves.
Daryl Morey: Things Moving In Very Positive Direction With Ben Simmons Daryl Morey joined the Philadelphia 76ers pregame show on NBC Sports Philadelphia and gave an update on where things stand with Ben Simmons. Morey mentioned Simmons is dealing with both back soreness and personal things off the court. The Sixers President of Basketball Operations said the team takes both issues seriously. Simmons recently returned to Philadelphia after a lengthy holdout. His initial days back with the team were tumultuous, as Doc Rivers kicked him out of his first full practice with the team. Simmons was suspended for the home opener, and then refused to do an individual workout when the rest of the team had an off day. Simmons then spoke with his teammates and coaches and explained his not in the right space to fully return. Simmons was open that he's not mentally ready to play basketball at this time. Multiple teammates then came out in support of Simmons over the following days. In recent days, the 76ers have stopped fining Simmons for sitting out. Morey said the team is working with Simmons, as opposed to the previous acrimonious days. Morey said, "And, you know, he spoke to his teammates, you know, things seem to be moving very much in a positive direction. We’re gonna provide all the resources, get Ben what he needs and get him out there as soon as we can."
Morey got humbled real quick, what a slithery snake. From making buckle down hold to your seats for 4 long years threat to we are providing every resource to him and we want him.
I think what's being looked at is the fact that owners are taking all the risks when giving a max out now. Next lockout will be bloody and I think the sympathy will be less for the players this time around given the recent actions. I feel bad for the lower middle class of the NBA (relatively) because next year's lockout will be tough on them.
I am sure somewhere along the way a trade could have happened. It was too hard for Morey to pull the trigger because in his mind he was thinking he could have James Harden for Ben Simmons at one point. I get it, that is a lot to wrap your mind around. Now we can all sit back and watch what not pulling the trigger does to the team, Ben Simmons, Ben Simmons entourage, the front office, the owner, the fans of Philly, and all those who follow the NBA at large. Not pulling the trigger on a deal this offseason is doing harm to all involved, with no end in sight. Whatever he could have gotten for Ben Simmons this offseason is something he cannot get now. A month from now he will not be able to get what he could get today. Big Joel, Doc, and Daryl can 3d chess this all they want. It's not chess it is checkers. There is no path forward with Ben Simmons as part of that organization. Daryl should have had that in his mind the second Doc and Joel made those comments from a strategic standpoint.
