Report: Sixers Will Try to Convince Ben Simmons to Report To Camp

 

The Philadelphia 76ers/Ben Simmons stalemate drags on, but the Sixers are hoping to convince the disgruntled point guard to report to training camp at the end of this month, despite his recent claims that he will not report. 

The expectation remains, one week out from 76ers media day, that Ben Simmons will choose not to report to the team's training camp, league sources say. But the Sixers, sources say, remain intent on trying to convince Simmons to report.

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— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 20, 2021

NBA Insider Marc Stein reports that sources say Philly will do their best to implore Simmons to show up to camp. After a summer of discontent following Simmons' playoff flameout, the All-Defensive, shot-averse guard demanded a trade, and pinned the blame for the troubles on coach Doc Rivers and GM Daryl Morey.

After Simmons' refusal to take a shot in the 4th quarters of the last four games of the Sixers' second-round elimination at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, coach Doc Rivers was asked if Simmons can be a championship point guard, to which the coach replied, "I don't know." Things continued to devolve from there, and Simmons has not been in communication with the team all summer.  

Some teams have expressed interest in trading for the All-Star guard, but Morey's asking price has, by all accounts, remained sky-high and prohibitive to getting a deal done. 

Philly is calling Simmons' bluff, however, and recent reports indicate that the team feels that 'eventually he's going to show up. (#Sixers will) go from there.' But if not, he will be fined for any training camp or games missed.

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