Ben Simmons Reaches Out to Embiid After 76ers’ Struggles
Following Joel Embiid’s dramatic departure from the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons sought to “mend fences” with the Australian.
That’s according to an ESPN piece that delves deep into the 76ers’ terrible start to the season. They have fallen to 3-13, the NBA’s second-worst record this season.
Simmons and Embiid developed a good relationship, but they only made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals despite their regular season success.
Embiid Opens Up About Simmons’ Departure
Most feel the tipping point occurred in the 2021 playoffs’ Game 7 loss to Atlanta when Simmons believed he had taken too much responsibility for the loss after notoriously passing up a vital dunk in the game.
In the post-game news conference, Embiid referred to Simmons’ passive play as the game’s “turning point”.
When Simmons continued to hold out despite attempts by teammates to contact him, Embiid termed his actions “borderline disrespectful” to the squad.
According to the article, Simmons has contacted his old teammate, with a source stating that a reunion is “unlikely,” although stranger things have happened.
While healing damage to relationships inside the playing group is feasible, making amends to 76ers fans is a whole other story.
A Twist of Fate? Simmons Could Rejoin the 76ers
Simmons was roundly booed when he returned to Philadelphia for the Nets, despite having played 275 games with the Sixers over six years.
However, with both teams struggling to recover their previous glory, the former number one overall choice is considering a reunion with his original squad.
Simmons is in the final year of his deal, with a $40.3 million expiring salary, and his defensive and ball-assisting abilities make him a good match for any club.
He has appeared in 13 of the Nets’ 18 games this season, but his stats are considerably down than during his award-winning years with the 76ers.
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Krishanu Das is the founder and lead writer of Sports Dribble. With more than five years of experience in sports writing, he specializes in creating well-researched guides, sports rules, player rankings, tournament explainers, and match analysis across cricket, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and many other sports.
Although he works as an accountant by profession, sports have always been his lifelong interest. That passion inspired him to build Sports Dribble, where he focuses on publishing accurate, easy-to-understand, and regularly updated content for sports fans around the world.
Before every article is published, Krishanu researches official rulebooks, governing bodies, tournament regulations, trusted statistics, and reliable sources to ensure readers receive factual and up-to-date information. His goal is simple: help every reader understand the game with clear explanations, practical insights, and information they can trust.
