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Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers have dominated the NBA off-season, a mini soap opera has unfolded - much to the delight of content-starved fans - and then came media day.
Obviously, with the media in attendance, much of the questioning revolved around Simmons and how the Philadelphia 76ers were expecting the situation to play out. Luckily, whenever a change is coming, you begin to see a new layer underneath, and as media day continued, we got some answers to questions about the upcoming season.
On that note, here are 3 things to take note of after Philadelphia 76ers' media day:
1) Philadelphia 76ers players want Ben Simmons to stay
Ben Simmons' discontent with his situation as a Philadelphia 76ers player seems to be a one-way street. Throughout media day, multiple roster members spoke on how they hoped Simmons would remain with the Sixers and how they have enjoyed both playing with him and having him as a teammate.
Simmons' desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers has been widely covered, but it would seem that both the coaching and playing staff would like him to reconsider. However, with no movement on Simmons' side, his decision seems to have been made.
Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey refused to be drawn on any possible punishments for Simmons during media day, simply noting that "it's laid out in the CBA what will happen."
Currently, there is no indication from either side on what any potential next steps are, meaning a resolution is still far from being found.
The problem for Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers is that for each passing week this situation drags on, Simmons' trade value takes another knock. The NBA is akin to the wild west, and once teams smell blood in the air, they begin to circle like hungry great whites in need of a meal.
Simmons is an All-Star entering his prime and unequivocally one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Couple that with his unique blend of size and playmaking ability and he becomes a fearsome prospect. There's no way the Philadelphia 76ers will have any desire to part with their star ball-handler on the cheap.
2) Tyrese Maxey is happy with the Philadelphia 76ers
If things weren't bad enough for the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, reports surfaced their 2020 draftee Tyrese Maxey was disillusioned with the franchise and wanted out.
During his media day appearance, Tyrese Maxey put those rumors to bed.
Last season, Maxey displayed defensive upside and had some encouraging moments on the offensive end, all while being a high-energy guy from the bench. In his first year as a rookie, Maxey gave the Philadelphia 76ers 8 points, 2 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game while being a reliable piece of their bench rotation.
In a summer where the Philadelphia 76ers have faced losing one of their star players, possibly losing their latest draft acquisition could have begun to tip the scales toward full-blown mutiny. Luckily, Maxey is happy in the city of Brotherly Love and will be donning a Sixers jersey throughout the upcoming season.
3) Philadelphia 76ers players are embracing the rabid fanbase
A large part of the discourse surrounding Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers is the fan base. Some have noted that Philadelphia fans' hunger for success can sometimes be off-putting for players within the roster, and even Joel Embiid told the fan base they "gotta do better" during a recent tweet.
However, throughout media day, numerous players noted how the pressure of playing for the Philadelphia 76ers is enjoyable because it proves the fanbase cares.
"I would always rather play in a city where they care," Matisse Thybulle said during media day.
"We love our fans. They hold us accountable," Danny Green said during media day.
With such a focus on Simmons and how the Philadelphia 76ers fans have been perceived as harsh on the roster, it will be encouraging for the front office and fan base to know that narrative isn't echoed within the locker room.
The Philadelphia 76ers are due to start training camp tomorrow, September 28th, and will be expecting Ben Simmons to report back to the team in the coming days or weeks. However, with pre-season just a few weeks away, we're still no closer to seeing this saga reach its inevitable conclusion.
