Joel Embiid: Having to answer questions about Ben Simmons every day was kind of draining

Joel Embiid: It was a tough situation to navigate and go through (with Simmons). Even to this day, I don’t have any hard feelings towards everything that happened. But being in my position, having to answer questions about that whole thing every …

Joel Embiid: It was a tough situation to navigate and go through (with Simmons). Even to this day, I don’t have any hard feelings towards everything that happened. But being in my position, having to answer questions about that whole thing every single day, it was kind of draining. And I’m sure it was draining for my teammates. So the drama was pretty crazy, but my whole thing going into the season was to come in and try to be a better leader. In the past, I was trying to lead on the court, by my play, and I was never really focused on off the court and what I could bring to the table.

Source: Sam Amick @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Eric Pincus @EricPincus
I did @Nate Duncan Dunc’d On recently – we talked potential CBA changes, some Ben Simmons – and reminisced about doing @SportsBizClass Immersive in Vegas together for the last half-decade omny.fm/shows/duncd-on…11:31 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Oh, so I can’t score without free throws huh?”
-Ty Lue told @TomerAzarly what Joel Embiid said to him on this exchange.
pic.twitter.com/Yg8aP5KCXU10:59 PM

Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid will be on JJ Redick’s podcast “The Old Man and the Three” this week #Sixers pic.twitter.com/s36SsZ0N4K6:39 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
The final #Sixers#Bucks matchup comes with high stakes for Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 3:33 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Ty Lue explained his quote about Embiid and Harden not being in top-10 scoring without the free throws: “It was said meaning if you continue to foul those guys, they can score 50. We want them to make field goals and not free throws because they’re crafty at getting to the line.” – 2:38 PM
Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Asked about Daryl Morey’s tweet about that seemed to take a comment Ty Lue made about Embiid and Harden’s FTs out of context, Ty said:
“Should he really be tweeting anything right now? Last time he tweeted he cost the NBA a billion dollars.” – 2:05 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Tyrese Maxey plays on a team with superstars Joel Embiid and James Harden, but Doc Rivers wants to remind him that he can look for his own offense going forward #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/03/28/doc… via @SixersWire1:27 PM
Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
NBA executive on Joel Embiid for MVP: “He continues to put up Wilt Chamberlain-like numbers and has emerged as one of the most versatile big men this league has ever seen.”
More on the MVP, DPOY, ROY, MIP, and Sixth Man award candidates on @Jorge Sierra. hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rank…12:39 PM
Jeff Stotts @InStreetClothes
Re: Robert Williams: A meniscus tear was my concern when Udoka said Willaim had “quite a bit of pain on the lateral side.” While some players, including Joel Embiid, have played through a meniscus tear, surgery is often warranted. – 11:59 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
There’s a big game tomorrow:
— Giannis vs Embiid
— Two MVP candidates
— Two of top 3 scorers
— Both teams have identical record
Somehow that game isn’t on national TV but the Lakers game is. pic.twitter.com/mb83UmljtA11:03 AM

Sam Amick @sam_amick
Joel Embiid unplugged, at @TheAthletic
The Sixers star talks MVP, why he chose to trust Daryl Morey, the Ben Simmons saga, his relationship with James Harden, and their future together
“We’ve got a long way to go.”
theathletic.com/3213386/2022/0…10:50 AM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Joel Embiid last night:
✅ 37 PTS
✅ 15 REB
✅ 3 STL
It’s the 17th time Embiid has recorded at least 35p/10r in a game this season, six more such games than any other player.
He broke a tie with Charles Barkley for the second-most such games in a season by a @Philadelphia 76ers player. pic.twitter.com/AoPDzOdiY79:41 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Best and worst from Sixers-Suns: Joel Embiid shines in losing effort, Tyrese Maxey’s struggles and more inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 6:11 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Best and worst from #Sixers#Suns: Joel Embiid shines in losing effort, Tyrese Maxey’s struggles and more inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 6:01 AM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Rehabilitating, strengthening.”
– Steve Nash on Ben Simmons next steps. Not yet progressed to on court work as noted. – 6:07 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Coach Nash says Ben Simmons isn’t yet doing any on-court individual work. But there have been separate updates suggesting he is feeling less pain following an epidural. – 6:02 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Steve Nash says Ben Simmons has yet to resume individual workouts. Nash says he has no clarity on what the next steps are in Simmons’ rehab. – 5:57 PM
Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
What must mayor Eric Adams now do to activate Ben Simmons? – 12:52 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
First time this season, the Nets’ notes for a home game don’t have Kyrie Irving listed here.
STATUS UPDATES: Goran Dragić (left knee soreness) is PROBABLE. Seth Curry (left ankle sprain) is QUESTIONABLE. Joe Harris (left ankle surgery) and Ben Simmons (back soreness) are OUT. – 12:44 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
I have taken better video, but here is Ben Simmons helping Goran Dragić warm up on the court pregame in Miami. pic.twitter.com/P8GQ4pS4uf6:17 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
For #NetsWorld fans, I took a look at Ben Simmons back injury history, going back to All-Star break, 2020. And tried to get all of the latest on him flying with team to Mia as well.
bit.ly/3JHqvEV12:57 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Steve Nash said Seth Curry and Goran Dragić will both play tonight. Adds LaMarcus Aldridge “is knocking on the door,” to return. He could play tomorrow against Charlotte. No update on Ben Simmons. – 10:47 AM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Nets injury report for tonight at Heat:
LaMarcus Aldridge, Out, hip
Seth Curry, Probable, ankle
Goran Dragic, Probable, knee
David Duke Jr., Out, G League
Joe Harris, Out, ankle
Day’Ron Sharpe, Out, G League
Ben Simmons, Out, back – 10:37 AM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Ben Simmons back on road with #Nets with back beginning to heal nypost.com/2022/03/26/ben… via @nypostsports8:29 AM

More on this storyline

Joel Embiid on why Ben Simmons left “I just didn’t understand what was going on, honestly. I didn’t understand what happened and what led up to that whole situation. To this day, I don’t understand. Even when you look at it and I don’t have any problems with him and like I say, obviously we didn’t win the championship together, but in the regular season, we went dominant every single season. 50-win seasons, I always believed that we had a chance to win together. Like I always believed that even to this day. I believe that we had a chance to win and what we were able to accomplish obviously, winning matters the most, but I feel like we had a chance and that’s what I don’t get. I don’t understand what was going on, honestly. What caused him to want to leave. I understand his explanation, but a lot of things don’t make sense.” -via Sixers Wire / March 17, 2022
Thursday evening’s Sixers-Nets meeting is one of the most anticipated games in South Philly in recent memory, a spectacle with battles within battles within battles. There’s Kevin Durant vs. Joel Embiid, James Harden vs. his former teammates, and Ben Simmons vs. just about everybody. It’s that last piece many are focused on, with league sources anticipating that Simmons and his representation will file a formal grievance against the Sixers at some point in the coming days. -via Philly Voice / March 9, 2022
The expected move has been a long time coming. Dating back to the fall, there have been many around the Sixers’ organization who have chosen to go radio silent on all things Simmons, aware that arbitration was a likely outcome for this process. And anyone with a rudimentary understanding of finances also probably could have seen this coming — nobody likes to throw away $20 million even if they have than that in the bank or coming to them down the road. -via Philly Voice / March 9, 2022