this is going to look ridiculous when simmons plays well and then they trade him for another player in a year or two lol
“Really? Is it so hard to believe that Ben’s not mentally at a place to compete? Professional athletes — like the rest of us — have difficult periods in our lives that require time and energy to heal. We have and will continue to provide Ben with the support and resources he needs to work through this. Threatening the prospect of 'another four years' serves no one’s interests. Like Tobias [Harris], I say let’s respect Ben’s space and embrace him while allowing him the time to move forward. "So, take a breath and count to 10: We are all too good to continue to play this perpetual game of chicken.”
Its a tough spot. He's been a bit of a disingenuous prick about all of this, which could lead to mistrust. But maybe he's being a prick bc he has mental struggles. Or maybe he's saying he has mental issues so he can continue to sit out and get paid. The franchise has no choice but to focus on treating him even if they dont believe him.
Whatever we think of Simmons, I think Morey's handling it poorly. Simmons' value only goes down week to week since this all started, and if you force him to play now, with his heart clearly not in Philly, he'll look even worse than normal, driving his value down further. Overall, it seems like good ammo for the "Morey doesn't understand players as humans" narrative. *shrug* Now it's going to dramatically impact their early season, b/c the rest of the roster is super sick of it.
That’s the situation they are already in. Trading in for parts doesn’t fix that. You set up a false dichotomy. Also, you have already seen Simmons has been willing to come back to the fray. Obviously, he has more to gain by working with the team than trying to strong arm them.
LOL saying you plan on enforcing a contract voluntarily signed by the player is playing chicken now. lol. [/QUOTE]
Seems the players on the Sixers disagree with you. They are willing to have him back. Not to mention you are 1000 times wrong on your assumption of how Morey values relationships. I’d said he values them more than any other Gm. You want this to be an incontrovertible dilemma but the actions taken by all sides over the last couple days proves it’s not.
This mental health issue needs to be nipped at the bud. Have them, but you ain't getting paid. And if you can't overcome your issues, then go on with your life and leave the sport that is apparently mentally killing you. Don't expect the sport and the landscape around the sport to change for your issues when most in it don't need the changes.
"The Sixers have been fining Simmons for missing games, practices and meetings -- nearing $2 million this season -- but there is a provision in the collective bargaining agreement that protects players' salaries for failing to render services "if such failure has been caused by the player's mental disability."
Playing the mental health card now seems a little sus.... I don't discount it, but Simmons and his camp has been awfully quiet about his work ethic.
Got a situation where a player signed a big contract and then a couple years in want to get traded. Owners and GM are tired of it. Since we're not Philly fans here, I could careless if he lose trade value . But on principle, I'm glad Morey has the balls to the hold the line. NBPA Michele Roberts feel the need to comment is interesting. She knows Simmons is setting a precedence that causes friction for both sides. Could be f'n up future Superstar money and contract negotiation. Owners have more leverage at the next bargaining table. Simmons is literally messing up other players's future bags. We're all here with popcorn.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8DpvdHH/ Funny Lakers fight Davis out four to six weeks with hurt feelings! F
We'll see. I tend to think he has no intention of returning to the team and is just using the mental health as a way of being excused while still being paid. We'll see what happens and I don't know the guy obviously but the things we've heard...it feels like he's the kind of guy to shy away from negative situations which is why he's (maybe) doing this mental health thing. Not at all but I think Rockets fans were more accepting of moving on from the Harden era than Sixers are of Embiid. If Ben Simmons comes back and just tanks games you'll essentially be wasting a year of Embiid too. Honestly the best thing for him and the team is for them to just let him be away from the team for now. We'll see how long this drags on for.
So you suggest that their team just put up with their #2 guy killing his trade value completely on a team that is likely at their ceiling couldn't get far in playoffs - it would basically force them to rebuild. Do you really think the league and the owners will be ok with this if like you said it is suspected that the player in question is faking a mental disability to get his way? And you are Ok with this as a basketball fan? You certainly sound Ok with it..
I mean there is nothing they can do about it but deal with it. We go through this practically every year now with a different star. It would be pretty hard for the league to disprove it, that's why I think if he's doing it it's a clever move. Not my team so yeah I'm ok with it. Everyone involved are adults and will deal with the decisions they've made, as an NBA fan I'll just grab the popcorn and watch. Seems like most non-Philly fans are amused by the whole thing either way.
It sounded like you were upset that someone publicly criticized a player and it was a "betrayal" by an organization.. But now you are calling someone who is sabotaging a whole franchise over a personal grudge with a "maybe" underhanded move as "clever" and calling it good entertainment? Jesus. Your hate of Rivers is making you seem as a rather unprincipled person. Good to know. What owners can do is unofficially blacklist Simmons to use as an example to the rest of the players and then update the contract to have less guarantees for the players - less max lengths and amount. So yea, there is a recourse, because NBA has to prove to concerned fans that their franchises' continuity is not based on whims of players who signed a long term contract and then decided to renege on it over a personal grudge and tank a franchise by purposefully tanking his own trade value.
Whatever Michele. Simmons in under contract for four more years. It wasn’t a threat by Morey, it is just a fact…. The Sixers management isn’t going to trade Simmons if it makes the Sixers worse. If Simmons spent as much time on his jump shot as he does on trying to get traded, he would be a real star.
