Ben Simmons more likely to return to 76ers than be traded by them

If we see Ben Simmons again this season, it will be in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform. 

Ever since it was made public that Ben Simmons requested a trade on August 31st, all eyes have been on the Philadelphia 76ers to make the next move.

History drew those eyes there.

Two years ago, Anthony Davis successfully forced a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers.

At the time, he had one year remaining on his contract, and he indicated publicly that the lone franchise he wished to be traded to was the Lakers.

After the fact, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr commented that it was “bad for the league”, distinguishing the average trade demand from the unprofessional tactics that Davis’ and his representation employed.

"When you sign on that dotted line, you owe your effort and your play to that team, to that city, to the fans. And then it’s completely your right to leave as a free agent. But if you sign the contract, then you should be bound to that contract."

On January of this year, James Harden successfully forced the Houston Rockets to trade him to the Brooklyn Nets, his preferred destination.

He had two years remaining on his contract when the trade took place.

Among the sabotaging tactics, Harden employed included: coming to camp late and out of shape, mailing in his effort in games, stirring up conflict with teammates, and publicly disparaging the talent of the roster around him.

The ongoing saga between Simmons and the 76ers seemed to start off much the same way.

He told team officials he wouldn’t report to training camp.

After fines ensued, he finally showed up.

Shortly thereafter, head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of a practice for failing to cooperate and being a distraction.

Following that, his camp claimed that mental health concerns have saddled him and required that he be sidelined at this time.

But, due to his failure to provide the team with information to help address the mental health concerns, the fines continued.

76ers team president Daryl Morey has gone on record in stating that the team will not capitulate to Simmons’s trade request in the fashion that the Rockets did with Harden or the Pelicans with Davis.

Instead, the franchise expects to receive commensurate value for him.

No one can really blame Simmons and his representation for going about strong-arming a trade in the manner which he has.

The NBA is a copycat league after all.

Whether it is tanking games, using analytics, or building “super-teams”, franchises and players have no problem executing a strategy if it has a successful track record, regardless of how incriminating it may be.

Players, especially, have been able to wield that power without much reprieve under the current zeitgeist of the player empowerment era.

Is it a bad look for the NBA as Kerr had remarked?

Of course.

It also looks like Simmons will be the first casualty of this contemptible strategy.

Ask yourself, which one of the following two dominos is more likely to fall:

1. A player the caliber of Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal becomes available and magically falls on the 76ers’ lap.
2. Simmons’ eating crow and going back to the 76ers so that he is no longer getting fined and can play basketball again.

It sounds far-fetched that Simmons would return, doesn’t it?

Coming off a historically awful playoff performance and doing everything he’s done in a vain attempt to get traded would make anyone in his shoes persona non grata in Philadelphia.

But this is, in fact, the more likely scenario.

On top of that, wouldn’t it be the perfect picture of karma if he were to return, hat in hand?

His brand would imaginably take a hit.

His agent, Rich Paul, would have to reconsider implementing this strategy for any of his clients in the future.

And it would ultimately serve for the greater good of the league, as players would think twice than to engage in heinous behavior to get themselves traded.

What can you say other than kudos to team President Daryl Morey for doing something that should have been done a long time ago.