Sixers Prepared For Ben Simmons Saga To Drag On For 'Years'

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Thursday was another day of nothing but net negatives in the Ben Simmons saga. It began — the morning after he missed the team's season opener — with an adult entertainment company offering him a contract to help pay his fines.

It worsened when he once again missed practice due to a back issue, despite reportedly being cleared by team staff to participate, and rumors circulated that he was faking the injury.

It was compounded when news broke that his $5 million South Jersey mansion was up for sale.

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And reconciliation was seemingly put even farther out of reach following comments by the Eagles' Jason Kelce, a fan favorite who reminded Philadelphia of exactly the type of athlete they love. And loathe. "There's a lot of people who say it's a hard place to play," he said in a news briefing. "Just play better man, this city will love you...Want to be loved in this city as a baseball player? Run to first base."

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It's the Kelce-Bryce Harper-Joel Embiid ethic that Philly craves, and it's perceived absence in Simmons has never been more visible. But the Sixers are prepared to deal with this daily reality, every day, for the next four years. If that's what it takes.

So said Daryl Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, on 97.5 WIP sports radio Thursday. The Sixers will not budge from their current position: Simmons must return, or he must be traded for an equivalent talent. They will not ship him off for nothing just to be rid of the distraction.

"This could be four years," Morey said, noting the length of Simmons' remaining contract and the need to take advantage of Embiid, their MVP-caliber centerpiece.

"Unless Ben Simmons is traded for a difference-maker...we are in the prime of Joel's career," he added." We have to get...either Ben Simmons playing well for us...or we have to get back a difference-maker."

To remain in the holding pattern of the past four weeks for another four years is nearly unthinkable for Sixers fans, who have been urging the team to fulfill Simmons' wishes and trade him. However, other teams have evidently not offered a competitive enough package for the three-time All Star, surely seeking to take advantage of a situation that grows more uncomfortable and distracting for the team by the day.

Simmons is reportedly slated to join the team's practice on Friday, before meeting again with Sixers officials to discuss his future. Injury reports list him as "out indefinitely" and he is not expected to play Friday in the Sixers second game of the season. Tyrese Maxey, who is manning point guard in Simmons' absence, put up 20 points in Philly's season opening win Wednesday night.