The Ben Simmons saga is one that is as confusing as it is long. Every twist and turn has brought out a new emotion from Sixers fans, with the most recent one being a sense of understanding when it comes to Ben’s mental health. At some point or another, the Sixers need to work out whether or not Simmons is in the teams’ long-term plans. Who better to give his take on the entire ordeal than Charles Barkley?
Barkley spent eight seasons playing in Philadelphia after being drafted by the Sixers in 1984. The eleven-time All-star knows better than most what it takes to be successful in the City of Brotherly Love and spoke to Compare.Bet to give his unique perspective on the troubles Simmons is facing.
“I don’t know why Ben got mad at that sh–, to be honest with you.” Barkley said of the fact that Simmons struggled to handle the criticisms of his shooting ability and playoff performance. “Listen, I’m not one of those old guys who feel like I didn’t make any money and I hate on these young guys making all this money. But I thought if you’re making $40 million a year and people are telling you to get better in basketball, you should get better in basketball.”
The other side of the coin is the actual trade value Simmons has. It’s very clear that both parties would benefit from a fresh start, but with a monumental cap hit to take on as well as questions surrounding his character, willingness to develop, and more, it’s safe to say that the entire ordeal has plummeted his stock. It’s a sentiment that Barkley shares.
“How many people are looking for a point guard who is making $40 million a year who’s afraid to shoot and can’t shoot free throws?” He said.“ You act as if it’s going to be easy to trade this guy. If you make that trade as a GM, and he does not get better and won’t shoot the ball, you deserve to be fired.”
Whatever the outcome of the entire Ben Simmons debacle, the entire basketball world will be glad to see the end of it. Simmons is clearly battling some inner demons and needs a new chapter and the Sixers are becoming chained down by the entire ordeal. Whether or not a trade materializes remains to be seen, but all Sixers fans can do is cross their fingers and hope that the turbulent journey begins to settle sooner rather than later.
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