The Philadelphia 76ers are in an unenviable position these days. They had appeared to put together a championship-caliber roster last summer when they signed nine-time All-Star forward Paul George, but the 2024-25 season quickly fell apart for them when George and franchise center Joel Embiid missed many games due to injury.
For years, Embiid and others associated with the franchise have been urging fans to "trust the process." Part of that supposed process was the development of Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
But Simmons never panned out, and after former Sixers coach Doc Rivers made what Simmons misperceived as a public slight, he demanded a trade and was sent to the Brooklyn Nets midway through the 2021-22 season.
Afterward, he barely played due to a mysterious back condition, and when he did play, his production fell off a cliff compared to where he was while with Philadelphia.
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The Nets released Simmons midway through last season, but according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Philly had some interest in bringing the 6-foot-10 point guard back before that contract buyout.
"There had been some overtures, I would say, between Ben Simmons and the Sixers once he was securing a buyout from Brooklyn," Fischer said. "He still has some friends in the area. I believe his brother was living in Philadelphia for a time, and there was some interest from Philadelphia at that point in time.
"But I can't say I have any updated information on the Sixers' interest in Ben Simmons there. And I do think Embiid and Ben have repaired that type of fracturing that went down behind the scenes as well."
When Simmons came out of Louisiana State University, he was lauded for his athleticism, court vision, passing and ability to make things happen in transition. After a few years in the NBA, he also became a great defender, and he was named to the All-Defensive first team twice.
But after averaging 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists a game and making two All-Star teams in four seasons with the Sixers, he's been at 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in the three seasons since he left.
The big red flag with Simmons from day one has been his inability to hit or even take shots from outside the paint. Many have felt that had he developed that capability, he could've been, at worst, a borderline superstar.
After Brooklyn bought out Simmons' contract this past season, the Los Angeles Clippers signed him for the remainder of the schedule. He's currently a free agent.
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