Following Friday's preseason finale, the Philadelphia 76ers got the day off on Saturday. Then when the team returned to their practice facility on Sunday afternoon, they had their three-time All-Star point guard Ben Simmons back in the mix.
Nearly a week ago, Ben Simmons waived the white flag on his holdout. After skipping out on a couple of weeks worth of practice and three out of four preseason games, the Sixers guard is back in the mix.
While rumors hint that Simmons' desire to be traded is still there, the 25-year-old veteran seems to be sticking it out with the Sixers momentarily as he attended practice on Sunday.
Following the session, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers addressed the media and discussed what he saw out of the veteran All-Star after not seeing him in full action since Philly's Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks last season.
“He was just one of the players," said Rivers in regards to Simmons. "It was good overall. He was in and out. You know, it was not a great practice -- not because of him -- more because you take a day off, three games before the first game and guys, unfortunately, know math, but overall it was a good day.”
Last week, many were curious as to how Sixers players would react to Simmons' presence. Although his teammates made it clear they wanted him back in the mix this offseason, there was still a thought that perhaps members of the roster would have an issue with how the situation played out over the last few months. But according to Rivers, everybody treated Simmons as if nothing happened and he was just returning from an extended vacation.
“We just introduced him like we always do when the new guy comes back or the old guy comes back," Rivers explained. "We joke. We did it with Ben, we did it with Tobias (Harris) as well because he went on vacation and Matisse (Thybulle) as well. But as I’ve told you before with players, they pretty much welcome guys back. That’s how it is.
Will Simmons join the Sixers for their season-opener on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans? The head coach isn't sure at this time. While he acknowledged the three-time All-Star is in great shape despite missing training camp and the preseason, it's too early to tell whether he's a green light to go or not for Wednesday's game.
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