Simmons re-joins 76ers, gives cold shoulder

Ben Simmons’ team has confirmed he’s back, but he is yet to end his three-month silent treatment towards the locker room’s biggest powerbrokers.

Ben Simmons is officially back at the 76ers.

Coach Doc Rivers confirmed after the team’s pre-season win over Brooklyn on Tuesday Simmons had a Covid-19 test inside the team’s Wells Fargo Centre.

The test is the first step in the NBA’s Covid-19 biosecurity protocols. Simmons will be able to train with teammates this week once he clears the protocol demands.

Rivers before the game revealed Simmons had arrived back in Philadelphia, but he was still yet to speak to the 25-year-old.

They had been in the same building earlier that night.

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ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the break down of communication dates back to late August when Simmons informed his team’s senior officials, including Rivers, that he wanted to be traded.

The NBA insider said the team was only aware Simmons was back in the city when he showed up for his Covid-19 test.

All Star teammate Joel Embiid also spoke to the press after the game on Tuesday and said he is also yet to speak to Simmons.

Embiid said it was good for the team for Simmons to be back. He also said he hasn’t spoken to the Australian since they were eliminated from the playoffs in June.

Embiid said he had tried to speak to Simmons, but has been unsuccessful.

“I personally haven’t talked to him since the season ended,” he said.

“I tried, but I wasn’t as successful as a lot of my teammates have been. Like I said, it’s unfortunate the whole situation happened, but, like I said, we’re a better team with him on the floor.

“I think there’s going to be some adjustments, but it doesn’t need to be awkward.

“We’re all professionals. We want to win. I want to win. He gives me the best chance to win so that’s what I’m gonna go with.”

Earlier, Rivers joked he would need to speak with Wojnarowski to check where he sat with Simmons.

He again re-iterated that he would love to have Simmons back.

Wojnarowski earlier reported the details of Simmons return and the negotiations that had taken place between the Sixers and Simmons’ agent Rich Paul.

Simmons has previously made it clear he wants nothing more to do with the team.

The report details the Sixers will continue to pursue a potential trade for Simmons, but that comes after months of the team failing to attract any desirable trade offers from rival teams.

It had been reported previously Simmons would be prepared to sit out the entire season if a trade couldn’t be organised — but he appears to have changed his tune.

Rivers addressed the media after a practice session and was quizzed about Simmons’ relationship with other 76ers stars and what his attitude would be like should he rejoin them on the court.

“Players don’t get involved with people’s business. That is the one thing that I think is probably overplayed more than anything,” Rivers said.

“I’ve been a player when this has happened before and I was a player that has done it before and other than that first 10 minutes of welcoming back and taking the c**p from your teammates about missing camp and stuff, guys wanna win.

“I’m not (worried about Simmons’ attitude). I’m not, honestly. We’ve been around this before, haven’t we?

“We really have in different ways. My guess is when, if he comes, I think he’ll be ready to play.”

Simmons has tried his best to force the Sixers’ hand even though he still has four years and $AUD200m remaining on his deal. He refused to show up for pre-season camp and didn’t appear in Philly’s first practice match against Toronto last week.

It was reported Simmons has been fined an approximate total of more than $1 million after he missed another pre-season game on Tuesday.

The Sixers have played hardball and kept a disgruntled Simmons on their books because they haven’t been able to agree to adequate trade terms with another team. They want a bona-fide star in return for their three-time All-Star but rivals haven’t been willing to cough up a package that satisfies Philadelphia bosses.

It doesn’t help that Simmons’ trade value was hurt by his offensive woes in last season’s playoffs defeat to Atlanta — the catalyst for the Aussie wanting out of the City of Brotherly Love.

Comments by Rivers and Embiid questioning Simmons in the wake of that playoffs defeat — when the 25-year-old’s shooting frailties were in the spotlight — reportedly hurt the former No. 1 draft pick and played a part in him seeking a trade away from the only NBA team he’s known.

Embiid himself dropped some truth bombs on Simmons recently, clearly fed-up with his teammate’s antics.

“I feel like over the years, our team has been built around (Simmons),” Embiid said earlier this month. “Our teams have always been built around his needs.

“Even going back to the reason we signed Al (Horford), we got rid of Jimmy (Butler), which I still think was a mistake, just to make sure he (Simmons) needed the ball in his hands and that’s the decision they made.

“The situation is disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to all the guys that are out here fighting for their lives.

“Some guys rely on the team being successful to stay in the league and make money somehow. Because if you’re on a winning team, you’re always going to have a spot in the league, just because you’re on a winning team and you contributed.

“We are a better team with him, there’s no question about it. We still hope he changes his mind, but I kind of owe it to these guys to worry about what we have here.”

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