NBA Rumors: Sixers could keep Ben Simmons through training camp?

NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons could be stuck with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers appear ready to deal with a potential mess heading into the 2021-22 season. Even though the expectation is that Simmons will be traded at some point this offseason, there’s a growing sense around the league that Philadelphia could stand their ground regarding their asking price.

Understandably so, the Sixers believe the world of Simmons. They believe he is worth a lot – specifically, draft assets, an all-star, and then some – and appear ready to hold on to Simmons until they get fair value in exchange.

And according to at least one report, some within the Sixers’ front office feel as if “fair value” for Simmons is Damian Lillard.

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"[via Bleacher Report]…the overwhelming sense among league insiders continues to be that Simmons, for now, is expected to remain a Sixer once training camp opens on September 28—barring a change of temperature with Damian Lillard in Portland…"

Are the Philadelphia 76ers serious about bringing Ben Simmons back?

This report could indicate a few things, but at least from my perspective, I feel that the Sixers are not satisfied with the offers that they’ve gotten and they’re hoping they could wait out the Lillard situation in Portland.

On the other hand, this could also indicate that the team is holding on to some lost hope regarding Simmons. With everything that has happened this offseason, it’s quite frankly impossible to think that bringing back Simmons when training camp opens will only create absolute awkwardness inside the locker room – the level of which that would probably leak onto the on-court product.

If the Sixers are serious about taking the next step in their progression as a contender in the Eastern Conference, I’m not sure bringing back Simmons (especially when he doesn’t want to be there) is the answer.

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Of course, this could all just be some serious smoke in trying to throw off teams (in an attempt to raise their offers) that are interesting in Simmons. Or perhaps the Sixers’ decision-makers are simply that tone-deaf. Either way, this is absolutely a situation in which they have to tread extremely carefully.