Ben Simmons tells 76ers he wants out, won’t report to training camp: Source

Ben Simmons tells 76ers he wants out, won’t report to training camp: Source
By Derek Bodner, Jon Krawczynski and more
Aug 31, 2021

Ben Simmons has signaled his desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers and does not intend to report to training camp, a source confirmed to The Athletic's Derek Bodner on Tuesday. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported Simmons told the 76ers in a meeting last week that he no longer wants to be in Philadelphia.

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Monday that the 76ers had been discussing trades involving the three-time All-Star since July, with the Timberwolves and Raptors both making proposals. Philadelphia has told teams it is comfortable bringing Simmons back for the 2021-22 season, but rival executives believe it is a matter of time before he is traded.

Conversations with teams in Las Vegas during Summer League play earlier this month indicated the Timberwolves are the team that is most actively pursuing Simmons, according to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski.

Simmons, 25, has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals through four NBA campaigns, but his numbers dropped last season and tailed off further in the playoffs. He averaged 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists in the season-ending, seven-game series loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs.

The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons is entering the second year of a five-year, $177.2 million contract. He is due $33 million in salary in 2021-22.

(Photo: David Dow / NBAE via Getty Images)

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The Timberwolves’ lack of activity at power forward all seemingly points one way: Ben Simmons

Was this inevitable?

Derek Bodner, Sixers beat writer: The Sixers and Simmons have seemingly been headed toward a divorce ever since his disappearance in the second round of the playoffs against the Hawks, and after head coach Doc Rivers responded that "I don't know the answer to that question right now" when asked whether Simmons could be the point guard of a championship team.

Simmons has been in trade rumors ever since, but team president Daryl Morey has reportedly been asking for a king's ransom in return, leading to a lack of traction of substantive talks. The question now becomes whether this report getting out could have any impact on lowering the Sixers' asking price and help grease the wheels toward a trade being completed before the start of camp.

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What's next?

Bodner: With the news being out, it's unlikely teams will step up the quality of their existing offers between now and the start of training camp to meet the Sixers' demands. From the Sixers' perspective, they'd probably like to get into the season with Simmons on the roster and participating, and get closer to the trade deadline. That would help Simmons rehabilitate his trade value and get closer to a time in the NBA calendar when teams have more incentive to make significant moves.

Would Morey and the Sixers have the stomach to sit through training camp and call Simmons' bluff on whether he would actually sit out? Would they be willing to go through an awkward training camp, where he would become a distraction if he does go through with it? Would Simmons be willing to actually go through with sitting out camp?

This situation could certainly continue to deteriorate from here.

What might a Wolves offer look like?

Jon Krawczynski, Timberwolves senior writer: As of right now, the Timberwolves do not have a trade package that offers Morey the win-now assets a team in championship mode wants. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards remain untouchable.

Even if the Wolves included D’Angelo Russell in an offer — and they have talked all summer about building a team with Towns, Edwards and Russell around Simmons — it would not appear to be the magic bullet that Morey needs to part ways with Simmons … yet.

Simmons is a fantastic player on defense and in transition, one the Wolves believe would fit beautifully with some of their more offensive-minded core. But his struggles in the playoffs, and the widely held belief that the Sixers must move him before the season opens and things get really contentious, has cooled the activity around him.

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