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Former Bulls Guard Claims a Probable Rift Between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid Prime Reason for Simmons’ Trade Saga

Published 09/23/2021, 3:28 PM EDT

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Things have taken a turn for the worse very soon with the Philadelphia 76ers. After a rough ending to their campaign last year, numerous detrimental reports have come in. The latest and most heated one of them all has been that of star player Ben Simmons wanting to leave the franchise. However, there is possibly another rift brewing with fellow teammate Joel Embiid, as per fresh reports.

25-year-old Ben Simmons has had four successful campaigns with the 76ers. He has been a vital cog in the attack, and crucial when it comes to 2-pointers. Although Simmons has been trolled a lot for his lack of consistency on the shooting front, his efforts on the court are second to none. Yet, senior player Joel Embiid and him may not have been the best of friends. After Simmons’ decision of leaving, Embiid has also said that Philadelphia can now contest for the title. Is all good in the hood? Supposedly not.

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Jay Williams feels there is a conflict between Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons

USA Today via Reuters

Both Embiid and Simmons have connected wonderfully well numerous times. They have guided their team to valiant victories, despite not being able to go all the way. Yet, the pair was never seen as this deadly duo who had the best of bonds. And according to ESPN analyst Jay Williams, the starlets weren’t on the same page under Doc Rivers.

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“See I think there’s something between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and let me tell you why I think this way,” claimed Williams in an interview. “Couple of weeks ago when Joel Embiid extends that key, it’s the first time I’ve seen Joel Embiid do something like that. I actually praised him for that because this is the leader that you need to be. But that’s not the case between these 2. There have been so many reports about them not talking, these guys not hanging. And I’m not saying you need to be best friends when you’re teammates with somebody to win a championship, but it seems like they’ve been so far off.”

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It seems all but confirmed that Ben Simmons is on his way out of ‘Philly’. Where will he find his new home? Or is a return to the franchise that gave him so much on the cards? Either way, he is going to be an exciting proposition who will draw a lot of eyes next season!

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Written by:

Sankalp Harikrishnan

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Sankalp Harikrishnan is a tennis and NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He aspires to pursue Sports Journalism and has represented his institution in cricket, badminton, football, and table tennis. Apart from his professional desires, Sankalp does voluntary service with his friends to feed hungry animals on a regular basis.
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