NBA News: Ben Simmons Had Multiple Opportunities To Resolve Issues With Sixers - Report

As the calendar turns ever closer to the February 10 NBA trade deadline, Ben Simmons has returned to the headlines and there are more detailed reasons as to why the disenchanted Philadelphia 76ers star grew to detach himself from the team.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Simmons felt like the organization could have done more in terms of mending the relationship that all started after 2021 NBA playoffs where Joel Embiid publicly called him out in the post-game press conference.

“According to sources close to [Ben] Simmons, he's upset that [Joel] Embiid seemed to blame him for last season's playoff loss, when Simmons did not blame Embiid for Embiid's poor showing in the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors in 2019," Shelburne reported.

“Simmons doesn't dispute that he didn't reply when Rivers texted and called him several times over the summer asking to see him. But in hindsight, Simmons feels [Doc] Rivers and the Sixers could've done more, like show up at a well-known gym in the San Fernando Valley where he was training,” she added.

Shelburne also revealed that Simmons is still getting messages regarding the team’s schedule every day and that he makes appearances during shootarounds and film sessions, but he rarely stayed for long in order to avoid adding missing team activities to his long list of fines.

At first glance, Simmons’ frustrations with the franchise can be justified as being called out right after falling to the Atlanta Hawks during the playoffs certainly does not feel good.

However, the statements put forward by Shelburne make Simmons sound like he is acting way too immature for his age–similar to how Kyrie Irving supposedly “tested” then Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Phil Handy back in his rookie year.

With the information released to the public, it certainly looks like Simmons and the Sixers could have mended their relationship quickly and easily had the Australian been willing to put aside his feelings.

Simmons deciding not to respond to Sixers head coach Doc Rivers’ messages yet expecting him to show up at the gym where Simmons works out in Los Angeles is indicative of his inner turmoil with the franchise.

The expectation by fans and personnel around the league is that Simmons will definitely be traded very soon, but how soon remains up in the air as the Sixers’ asking price for him is simply too much for other teams.