Ben Simmons, an All-Star player of the Philadelphia 76ers, will reportedly not show up for the team’s training camp next week and does not plan to play another game, according to media reports.
The 25-year-old star player told the managing authorities of the Philadelphia 76ers that he will not wear an NBA jersey again unless he moved to another team, ESPN reported citing unnamed sources.
The source added that the situation has been explained to the team management in August this year. After this, Simmons has reportedly had no direct contact with the organisation.
The management of the Philadelphia 76ers, including coach Doc Rivers and President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey, directed Simmons to arrive at the training camp to train alongside Joel Embiid, who plays at the center court, the sources said.
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Simmons, though, took the brunt of the blame for the top-seeded Sixers’ second-round exit in last season’s playoffs. He shot 34% from the free-throw line in the postseason and was reluctant to attempt a shot from anywhere on the floor late in games. That led to him spending critical minutes on the bench.
Simmons missed a stunning 10 free throws in Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks and helped blow a 26-point lead in a loss. His defining moment, though, was in the Game 7 loss at home.
With a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, Simmons surrendered the opportunity to play postseason hero and passed on an open look at the rim because he was afraid he would get fouled.
Simmons did not attempt a shot in the fourth quarter in Game 2 against the Hawks. He did the same in Games 4 through 7 — going 0 for 0 in the final period. Not one single shot in the fourth over five playoff games, according to Associated Press.
Simmons just finished the first year of a $177 million max deal. He averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists over four seasons with the Sixers, who drafted him out of LSU, where he played only one season.
