Philadelphia 76ers star centre Joel Embiid weighed in on the latest in the Ben Simmons drama, as the disgruntled point guard continues to sit out of training camp amid trade requests.
Simmons has reportedly said he is "done playing" with Embiid and the "ecosystem around Embiid’s style simply isn’t conducive to the way he needs to play," according to a story published Tuesday by The Athletic.
Embiid took offence to those comments while talking to reporters during training camp Thursday, citing the team's decision to sign Al Horford and let Jimmy Butler leave for the Miami Heat during the summer of 2019 as examples of the 76ers making moves to tailor their roster to Simmons' strengths.
“Our teams have always been built around his needs, so it was kind of surprising to see what was said,” Embiid said. “Even going back to the reason we signed Al. We got rid of Jimmy, which I still think was a mistake ... but [Simmons] needed the ball in his hands and that’s the decision they made."
Embiid added: "The situation is weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to all the guys that are out here fighting for their lives."
Trouble has been brewing since the 76ers lost to the lower-seeded Atlanta Hawks last season during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Simmons received criticism for his poor play shooting 34 per cent from the free-throw line in the playoffs and questionable decisions on the court such as opting to pass rather than make an open shot that would have tied it up late in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against the Hawks.
Coach Doc Rivers said after the game he "didn't have an answer" when asked if Simmons could still be a point guard for a championship contender.
Simmons, who reportedly requested a trade during the summer, was not present Monday for media day, however, team president Daryl Morey said: "We expect him back. We expect him to be a 76er."
The 25-year-old Simmons, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft and is a three-time all-star, has four years and $147 million remaining on his contract.
