Joel Embiid has denied this offseason that there are any issues between him and Ben Simmons, but the Philadelphia 76ers big man appears to have reached his breaking point.
Simmons has been suspended for the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener after he was kicked out of practice by head coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday. Embiid spoke with the media shortly after the news surfaced, and he said numerous times that it is not his nor his teammates’ job to “babysit somebody.”
Joel is not here for the babysitting 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/bJM0GpcwTN
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 19, 2021
Embiid also said he doesn’t care about Simmons anymore and that the star point guard “does whatever he wants.”
"At this point I don't care about that man." 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/telIeAGsyi
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 19, 2021
Simmons obviously does not care what Embiid or anyone else in Philadelphia thinks about him. He wants to be traded, and his only goal with showing up last week may have been to put more pressure on the organization by becoming a major distraction. He has certainly done that this week, as a video of him pouting at practice also went viral on Monday.
Rivers said he threw Simmons out of practice because he was looking out for the best interests of the team. The decision was reportedly made after Simmons refused to participate in a specific portion of the practice.
It is only a matter of time before the Sixers trade Simmons. Embiid, who blatantly threw Simmons under the bus after the playoffs last year, will almost certainly be happy to see his teammate go.
Jan 6, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
