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Jun 8, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) hangs on the rim after dunking against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter in game two of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 8, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) hangs on the rim after dunking against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter in game two of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia 76ers is going through its rebuilding phase for quite some time now. Last season, their long-time star Ben Simmons also raised eyebrows in the league for his poor form and inconsistency. With rumors circulating around his trade, Simmons is yet to regain his value as a key player.
Last season was a disappointing road for both the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid and Simmons are leading the roster with varied abilities, however, the latter failed to deliver. Particularly, the 2021 postseason was an embarrassing mark in Simmons’ resume. After losing to Trae Young’s campaign in the seven-game series, Philadelphia fell out of the Playoff race.
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USA Today via Reuters
Jun 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) blocks a shot by Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the second half during game six in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Well, the Sixers are willing to trade away their All-star Ben Simmons for the upcoming season. As of now, not many franchise options have opened up for him this summer.
Philadephia 76ers need to keep Simmons for better future returns
According to former NBA player Jalen Rose, Simmons will have to retrieve back his value, and then Philadelphia can think of sending him off. And if not, then the team will not be able to get a worthy return for their trade. This stands as the reason for Sixers to hold onto their prominent player for some more time.
READ MORE: Prominent NBA Insider Drops in a Huge Update on Ben Simmons’ Possible Future
In a recent conversation, Jalen told ESPN – “He’s [Ben Simmons] gonna have to come to camp and play his value back up… You [Sixers] bring him back to camp, you start the season with him, you hope that he plays remotely like he was playing last year as he became the Defensive Player of the Year candidate, as he can flirt with triple-doubles. There are so many valuable things he can bring to the table. Then, if you think that value re-elevates, that’s when you try to move him.”
Philadephia’s Ben Simmons will be looking for a comeback next season
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 20, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry (31) shoots the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
During the 2021 playoffs, Simmons averaged a mere 11.9 points, 8.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds. Philadephia defeated the Washington Wizards in the first round but got crushed by the Hawks in the conference semifinals. Many have criticized Ben Simmons for passing a dunking opportunity in Game 7 of that series that eventually led to the defeat. This instance has added to his constant underperformance.
NBA is nearing the 2021-22 season and Ben Simmons’ departure is yet to be acted upon. If he does stay with the Sixers, then the Aussie player has a lot on his plate. Will he make a comeback next season? Let us know in the comments.
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