Philadelphia 76ers great Charles Barkley says there is no way Ben Simmons can play another game for the team, declaring the Aussie’s relationship with the city “over”.
The Simmons saga has been the headline act in the opening week of the regular season, with the Australian kicked out of practice and racking up fines of over $1 million for “conduct detrimental to the team”.
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After Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey suggested Philadelphia would play the long game with Simmons, Barkley said there was no way back for the Aussie.
“There’s only two bonds in pro sports: the locker room and the fans,” Barkley said on TNT’s NBA coverage. “He’s burned both of those bridges.”
“I actually blame Ben Simmons a little bit because being in Philly since 1984, I think they would’ve given him a second chance.
“If he had come to training camp and busted his heart, even last year when he was scared to shoot and wasn’t making free throws, they were giving him some love and trying to encourage him.
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“When he showed up at training camp and didn’t play and didn’t talk to his teammates, it’s over now.”
Barkley also said Morey could not afford to throw away years of MVP candidate Joel Embiid’s prime years by not trading Simmons.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to divorce a man and get this thing over with,” he said.
“The problem I have with it, I think they should make the trade because if you don’t make the trade you’re wasting the season. Ben’s not going to play in Philly.
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“Joel Embiid is the best big man in the game, do you waste his whole year? First of all, I know Philly, Daryl Morey won’t last four years. They’re not going to sit on Ben, you can’t get away with it. You could do that in some other team, but Philadelphia is built to win right now.
“Joel Embiid is in his prime, he’s an MVP candidate, Daryl Morey’s got to sick his pride up and say, ‘You know what? I’ve got to make the best deal’, plain and simple.”