The Philadelphia 76ers are still dealing with the ongoing Ben Simmons saga that took yet another turn on Friday when he expressed his desire to return, but he needs more time to get mentally ready. This comes after a tumultuous offseason that has continued to head into the season surrounding the Simmons drama.
Recently, president Daryl Morey warned everybody to buckle in as this could go on for the entirety of Simmons’ 4-year contract. The Sixers expect him to show up at some point to help the team win while also working with them to help facilitate a deal.
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts then stepped in to defend Simmons from Morey as she told Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill:
“Really? Is it so hard to believe that Ben’s not mentally at a place to compete? Professional athletes — like the rest of us — have difficult periods in our lives that require time and energy to heal. We have and will continue to provide Ben with the support and resources he needs to work through this. Threatening the prospect of ‘another four years’ serves no one’s interests. Like Tobias [Harris], I say let’s respect Ben’s space and embrace him while allowing him the time to move forward.
“So, take a breath and count to 10: We are all too good to continue to play this perpetual game of chicken.”
The Simmons saga is far from over and the Sixers will have to understand that. In order to move forward, everybody will have to accept responsibility, and the team will have to work with Simmons just as much as he will have to work with them to get this thing resolved. Until then, they have to respect his privacy.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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