Philadelphia 76ers have suspended Ben Simmons for the opening night game against Sacramento Kings after what they called “conduct detrimental to the team”. As per sources, coach Doc Rivers asked Ben Simmons to participate in a drill but Ben refused to do so and got thrown out of practice. Joel Embiid lashed out at Simmons and said that the team isn’t going to “babysit” the all-star guard.
If one thought the partnership of Ben Simmons and Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t be more twisted then probably it would be off the mark. Both parties have shown a mutual will to part ways but the Sixers demanded high returns for Simmons and Ben can’t leave on his own because he is a free agent. It is hard to see how this scenario will work out unless there is a trade and if such incidents keep occurring.
I just thought he was a distraction today, I didn't think he wanted to do what everybody else was doing. It was early. It wasn't a big deal. I just told him he should leave. We went on with practice.
Doc Rivers, coach, Philadelphia 76ers
I'm trying to win. And to win, you have to have that relationship with your teammates. I do have that relationship with all my teammates. But at the end of the day, our job is not to babysit somebody. We get paid to produce on the court, go out, play hard, win some games. That's what we get paid for. We don't get paid to come out here and try to babysit somebody. So that's not our job, and I'm sure my teammates feel that way.
Joel Embiid, Center, Philadelphia 76ers