Rare Simmons pic sets tongues wagging

Simmons and the 76ers have been at loggerheads ever since the game 7 Eastern Conference semi-final clash last season when Philadelphia placed all the blame at the Aussie’s feet.

It led to Simmons demanding a trade and the stand-off that has been dominating the league media all off-season and now into the season.

While the Sixers’ boss said that it could take “four years” to decide the 25-year-old’s fate —

Simmons still has four years left in his five-year $US168 million ($A225 million) contract — by asking for wild trade scenarios, Simmons has tried moves of his own.

After staying away from the pre-season and getting fined, he turned up to stop the fines, only to be booted out of training and suspended for a game.

Simmons then told teammates that he was not “prepared mentally” to play before it was revealed that he had been seeing a mental health professional for months.

But while many fans thought it would have been perfect for Simmons to return against the Hawks in their first match against Philadelphia in 2021-22, Simmons set tongues wagging when he was seen on an exercise bike at the Sixers shootaround.

While the sighting sparked belief that Simmons return wasn’t far away, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said that he still wasn’t sure when his star would return.

“I have no idea, honestly. I stay out of it,” Rivers said pre-game. “My job is to coach the guys who are here and then believe that the guys that are on the team will play some day. That’s all I have to be as a coach. So, I don’t get caught up in all the stuff, you know, the clutter, I guess you can say it is. I try to stay out of that as much as I can. I do talk to Rich quite a bit, but it’s more on a personal level.”

He said that Simmons had been “working out” and did shooting and skills work with assistant Spencer Rivers, but appeared to be taking it easy on the exercise bike.

He added: “He’s been engaged and things like that which is good”.

Asked whether the decision would be “a Ben decision”, Rivers responded: “I don’t think so, I think it’s gonna be a team decision. But again, I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”

It leaves any timeline for Simmons to return to the court as clear as mud but fans were quick to try and read between the lines.

One fan tweeted that November 13, Simmons would be back on the floor as it was the beginning of a six-game road stretch, which would allow Simmons to comeback away from the Philadelphia fans.

Fox Philly’s Bill Anderson, said the match against the Hawks would have been poetic.

“In my imagination #BenSimmons would’ve told the @sixers “I want a chance to play Atlanta in my first game back … I’m ready tonight.” I know he’s apparently not physically or emotionally healthy and I respect that but can you imagine ?? That’s something @alleniverson would do!” Anderson tweeted.

Ultimately the Sixers didn’t need Simmons against Atlanta, claiming a 122-94 win to move to 4-2 for the season.

Days after former 76ers stars Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley took aim at Simmons and how he had alienated the fan base, one of Rivers’ former stars took aim at Simmons again.

Celtics legend Paul Pierce was on a podcast earlier in the week and called the Aussie “an a-hole”.

“If Doc kicks you out of practice, that’s bad because I ain’t never seen that,” said Pierce. “I think I saw Doc kick a player out maybe once? Doc ain’t going to kick you out for nothing. You really have to be an a–hоle for Doc to kick you out because Doc’s one of the coolest coaches.”

Originally published as Ben Simmons pic sparks hopes of a Philadelphia 76ers return