Joel Embiid responds to reports of rift with Ben Simmons
Joel Embiid responded to reports that the rift between him and Ben Simmons had been escalating before the Philadelphia 76ers' 2021 second-round playoff exit.
The 27-year-old tweeted that he "loves" playing with Simmons and hopes "everyone is back" for the 2021-22 campaign because the team knows it's good enough to win.
Simmons' days as a Sixer are all but over as daily trade rumors continue to surface around the three-time All-Star. The latest report says Simmons told the 76ers that he does not want to return to the team, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Simmons struggled throughout the playoffs, particularly in the second round against the Atlanta Hawks, averaging just 9.9 points per game and shooting 33.3 percent from the free-throw line. Over the last three games of the series, Simmons shot the ball 14 times, scoring 19 points.
Bleacher Report's Jason Dumas also reported last month that Simmons' relationship with Embiid is "beyond repair," and he is reportedly ignoring the big man's phone calls.
Simmons and Embiid guided the Sixers to the Eastern Conference semifinals three times in each of their four seasons together. Philadelphia finished last season with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in 20 years but squandered the opportunity. Now Embiid and Simmons are likely headed for a split despite the Cameroonian's comments about loving playing alongside Simmons.
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