UPDATE: Ben Simmons Demands Trade; Refusing To Report To Sixers Training Camp

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that Ben Simmons has told the Philadelphia 76ers that he will not report to training camp, and will not play for the team any longer. 

Ben Simmons tells #Sixers brass he no longer wants to be a Sixer and does not intend to report to training camp, according to multiple sources. https://t.co/17X1XfkzZO via @phillyinquirer

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) August 31, 2021

We reported yesterday that, according to rival executives, it was "only a matter of when, not if" Simmons would be dealt. 

“Ben Simmons says he refuses to play for the Sixers. He wants to go to three California teams. There’s so much bad blood between him and the team.”

- Western Conference Executive on Ben Simmons
(Via @PompeyOnSixers ) pic.twitter.com/3TQShODF5k

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) August 31, 2021

One Western Conference executive is quoted as saying Simmons is now asking for a trade to one of three California-based teams. 

After Simmons' debacle of a playoff performance, Sixers coach Doc Rivers was quoted as saying that he didn't know if Simmons could be a "championship caliber" point guard. Since then, there has been no communication between the shooting-challenged guard and the team, and that the relationship was damaged beyond repair.

Today's news that Simmons is refusing to report to camp, or to wear a Sixers uniform again, only makes trading him that much more difficult for general manager Daryl Morey, now that teams know the pressure is on him to act. 

The job was already pretty onerous due to the outrageous asks Morey was demanding of other teams. Seeking an All-NBA or All-Star return is likely no longer on the table for the Sixers, and they will have to adjust their trade demands accordingly. 

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports