As we close out the year 2021 and all that’s been going on in the country and the world, one pressing issue remains for the Sixers and the city of Philadelphia. Ben Simmons is still a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and it’s time to let it go.
Out with old and in with the new. That’s the old adage, and it is something that President of Basketball Operations Darryl Morey and the rest of the Sixers management should embrace heading into the new year.
The Sixers are currently 18-16 after a hot start that was destroyed when they lost almost half of the roster to injury/covid restrictions. They sit in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, and while that’s good enough to make the playoffs, the team was destined for a better position as we approach the mid-point of the season.
The team has played well of late, which is understandable as they basically needed to get back together after missing so many players for extended periods of time. As they’re coming together, the team needs to move on from Simmons.
For now, the Sixers have pushed Simmons to the side and have offered the city and its fans some hope as they’ve played really well of late. Yet, they’re still holding on to a huge asset that they could move for any players that would help improve the team.
If one questions that not just anyone would improve the team, try to take another view of it. Simmons is currently averaging… nothing. He’s not providing anything but mild headaches to the team.
Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong.
Simmons is still a member of the team, and he doesn’t even care to try to improve the team or his standing in the league. His agent is currently pumping up the volume on Twitter and asking for Simmons to be voted into the All-Star game. That’s a bigger joke than anything that Rich Paul and the Ben Simmons camp have come up with since all of this nonsense started after the playoff loss to the Hawks last season.
Ben Simmons may be on the sideline, but his name is constantly brought up, trade scenarios are thrown around the internet, comments are made about his perceived value, whether good or bad. He’s a distraction to a team that’s coming together and playing well.
Any addition to the team would be welcomed. Anyone that can give the team some scoring, play defense, grab some rebounds and dish out assists would be better than what we’re getting from Simmons this season.
While that all seems like a lot to ask, and people will wonder, where would we get such a player, there are a few of them out there. The names should go Dejounte Murray from the Spurs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder, and Buddy Hield from the Kings. Those are the big ones. They’d all, singularly, add to the team and give you a top-tier talent the Sixers originally stated they were looking for.
If you step back and look at the roster, though, you could get all of those things in a few lower-tier players, and the Sixers would be wise to look at that market. Forget about Russell Westbrook or James Harden or even Kyrie Irving. Look for talent that will work well with the team as we currently have it.
Tyrese Maxey has shown that he can play at a high level in this league in spite of being thrown into the starting point guard role in just his second season. While there have been some poor games or poor choices on the court, Maxey has shown that he belongs, and his work ethic shows people that love Simmons what we should have had with the former first overall pick in the draft.
At this point of the season, with Joel Embiid starting to heat up and eat up opposing teams, the Sixers need to make a move, and it needs to happen soon. Playing chicken usually ends in a crash, and that’s where they’re headed if they think they can force Simmons to come back or just plain hold on to him out of spite.
Ben Simmons is on the back burner for the Sixers organization, and he needs to be in the rearview mirror.
