The Ben Simmons saga has gone on for far too long… if you ask me. But, the Golden State Warriors can find solace (if they have not already) in accepting that a deal for the All-NBA caliber guard is off the table, for now.
The Golden State Warriors do not appear to be actively engaged in the Ben Simmons trade dilemma and this might be a good thing for everybody.
The drama between Simmons and the 76ers has been exhausting. In many ways, Simmons is himself to blame for Philly’s implosion against the Atlanta Hawks. And, his reluctance to improve as a jump shooter is something the fans (and his teammates) should be frustrated about.
Nevertheless, having your own team turn on you has to be brutal. For Simmons, this seemed to all but sever the ties between him and the franchise eternally. In spite of all this, money talks — and just as we saw Andrew Wiggins do a complete 180 on his anti-vax sentiments for the sake of the all mighty dollar — Simmons was not about to forgo millions of dollars every game simply because his feelings were hurt by Philly.
As a result, Simmons has reported to the 76ers ahead of the regular season. It remains unclear whether or not he will actually be competing in any games but with Daryl Morey playing hard-ball in every trade negotiation it is hard to see Simmons being traded before the cost of sitting out games takes too much of a toll on his pockets.
For those keeping track, this situation is an optics disaster for Simmons. His own personal failures (along with a general collapse from his team) led to him refusing to report to training camp or communicate with the franchise that drafted him. Then, only when his salary was on the line, he decided to reluctantly return to the team.
It is rare for me to side with the front office in matters regarding a player’s empowerment and individual decisions — but Simmons appears to be showing all the personality traits of a player who is not dedicated to winning a championship.
Let me be clear, Simmons is 100 percent right in reporting back to the 76ers to save his income from falling off a cliff. I think we all have worked a job we did not want to in order to make some money. But, the everyday person is not in an environment where selflessness is one of the most important factors to the ultimate goal of winning a championship.
Anyways, with Simmons continuing to display toxic character traits and the 76ers looking for a Godfather deal in return for the All-Star, it is becoming increasingly unlikely the Warriors make a swing for Simmons.
Not to mention, the Dubs do not exactly need to switch things up right now. They are rolling in the preseason and their collection of veteran assets is priming them for a strong redemption season. Barring a situation in which Simmons becomes available for pennies (impossible due to his contract), the Warriors have no reason to blow up their roster for him.
While there is much uncertainty surrounding the future for Golden State — we can rest assured Simmons is not on the radar anymore.