Ben Simmons wants out of Philadelphia, and he may be taking others with him as well.
Bleacher Report’s Jason Dumas reported on Tuesday that there is a high chance 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey will be included in any Simmons trade. The two players are both represented by power agent Rich Paul, and Paul reportedly wants both of his clients out of Philadelphia. Dumas adds that some local organizations had been planning to partner with Maxey on community events. They were told to cancel those plans though because Paul does not want Maxey to grow roots in the city if he could be leaving.
Simmons has been on the trading block all summer and now has formally requested a move from the team. But losing the 20-year-old Maxey on top of that would be a blow for the Sixers. Maxey was a revelation for the team as a rookie last season. Philadelphia even sounded unwilling to include him in a trade for James Harden.
As for Paul, this seems to be an indication that he wants to cut ties with the Sixers completely. But it is not an entirely surprising one. Paul is currently battling a lawsuit filed by former Sixer Nerlens Noel, one of his old clients. Philadelphia reportedly had interest in re-signing Noel, but their overtures were allegedly ignored by Paul. With the Simmons drama adding even more fuel, the bad blood between Paul and the Sixers appears to have boiled over.
