If someone would have told you last summer that Ben Simmons would still be a part of the Philadelphia 76ers in January of 2022, you would have laughed at them.
Yet, currently, Simmons is still a member of the team but only in the most limited way possible.
Ever since Simmons had an awful postseason last year, the All-Star player has vowed to not suit up again for Philly.
True to his word, he hasn’t played a game for his team since last summer.
Many people thought that he would quickly be traded once it became apparent he wasn’t willing to change his mind.
However, the 76ers have been waiting patiently on Simmons and have refused to budge – all the while, they have gotten better without him.
So, has Philly made the right choice by remaining incredibly patient with Simmons?
Why The Wait?
Say what you want about Simmons and his attitude and personality but you cannot deny that he’s a wonderful NBA player.
Even with the let-down of a postseason he had last year, he’s still one of the best defensive guys in the entire league.
He’s not the sort of player that you trade away for nothing – and Philadelphia knows that.
That’s the biggest reason why the team hasn’t rushed into any trade packages to get rid of Simmons.
There have been offers – plenty of them – but none have risen to the level that Philly’s front office is satisfied with.
They’re not looking to unload Simmons for a few first-round picks or lesser-known, up-and-coming talent.
No, the 76ers want an All-Star, someone who can lead a team – or someone who already has.
The biggest names associated with a possible trade for Simmons are Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets.
Philadelphia's preference is to wait until the offseason to try to trade Ben Simmons for James Harden or another star, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/z7IBcWekdC
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 24, 2022
Apparently, Philly has its eyes on either of those big names.
The fact that they are aiming for guys like Lillard and Harden shows that they know they have an ace in their hand, a trade asset that could bring in a big return.
And they are not going to settle for anything less than a bonafide, big league star.
No Rush
Perhaps Philadelphia wouldn’t be as patient if they were doing very poorly but they’re sitting pretty right now and aren’t in panic mode, which could lead them to make a rash, rushed trade with Simmons.
Philadelphia is currently sixth in the East with a record of 27-19.
They had a few bumps in the road earlier in the season but they have begun to really find their footing.
That’s doubly true for team leader Joel Embiid, who has truly come into his own this year.
Joel Embiid’s last 13 games 🤯
‣ 40 Pts, 13 Reb
‣ 50 Pts, 12 Reb
‣ 32 Pts, 8 Reb
‣ 32 Pts, 12 Reb
‣ 25 Pts, 13 Reb
‣ 31 Pts, 6 Reb
‣ 31 Pts, 8 Reb
‣ 31 Pts, 12 Reb
‣ 31 Pts, 5 Reb
‣ 31 Pts, 15 Reb, 10 Ast
‣ 34 Pts, 7 Reb
‣ 36 Pts, 11 Reb
‣ 36 Pts, 13 Reb pic.twitter.com/DFe6mHuW6x— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 22, 2022
They’re finding success and they’re doing it all without Simmons so why not be patient?
The trade deadline is February 10, only weeks away, but there is a chance that Philly will still have the rights to Simmons after that day comes and goes.
That’s because they are really insistent on only moving Simmons when the time – and the trade package offered – is right.
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