Training camp’s across the league are set to open next week, but in Philadelphia, that won’t mean everyone will be in town as Ben Simmons is still planning on not reporting to 76ers camp.
Per Marc Stein, the “expectation” is that Simmons will not report to camp when it opens next week. He also reports that the 76ers still plan on trying to get Simmons there, despite the star’s desire to be traded.
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
This tracks with what was reported roughly three weeks ago that the 25-year-old Simmons had requested a trade away from Philadelphia and told the team he would not come to camp. It would seem that Simmons and his camp’s stance hasn’t changed as the league’s most pressing personnel storyline continues to unfold. What’s still unclear is if this will press Daryl Morey’s hand and perhaps make him make a trade before the season starts, which it would seem would require him to drop his asking price for the 3-time All-Star. It’s also unclear how long Simmons would be willing to hold out. He’ll be fined for every day he misses and won’t receive game checks if he’s still holding out when the season starts.
From the outside, this feels like a situation where both sides are trying to make the other blink first. Simmons wants out and has certain teams he’d prefer to go to. The 76ers clearly have interest in dealing Simmons, but they don’t seem in a rush to do a deal if it’s not going to get them the type of return they feel is necessary to support Joel Embiid — or at least bring in the assets that could be used in the future to land the type of second star to pair with the big man. We’ll find out soon which side blinks first.
