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Philadelphia 76ers fans and star Ben Simmons felt more playoff heartache on Sunday as their side dropped out of the championship chase after losing game seven of their semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Despite topping the Eastern Conference standings during the regular season and having one of the best defenses in the league, the 76ers flattered to deceive. They struggled to shoot the ball, particularly from the free-throw line, and were overrun by the Hawks' array of scoring options.
More disappointingly for Ben Simmons, however, is the fact that a lot of the fault for the 76ers' performances in the playoffs and, in particular, this series appear to be lying at his feet.
In this article, we will discuss what the future holds for Simmons and what his current contract is with the Philadelphia 76ers.
What will happen to the Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons this summer?
Ben Simmons' series performances against the Atlanta Hawks could spell the end of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was historically bad from the free-throw line over the seven games, scoring just 33% of attempts, taking 6.4 a night. The Hawks even began hacking the guard to force him to the charity stripe.
It wasn't just his nerves from the line that has put his future with the franchise in jeopardy, though, but also his overall lack of offensive threat and whether his partnership with fellow star Joel Embiid can deliver a championship.
So the rumor mill has been spinning like crazy on Monday following the Sixers exit, with a multitude of trade deals that could be made that would see Ben Simmons leave the side who drafted him 1st overall in 2016.
A deal may not be as straightforward as Philadelphia 76ers fans would want, though, as Simmons is tied down to a lengthy contract with the franchise until the culmination of the 2024-25 season. In the last year of which, he is set to earn $40m. Nevertheless, it is time for them to blow up the plan and start afresh around Joel Embiid.
Daryl Morey was ready to part ways with Simmons throughout the James Harden-Houston Rockets debacle and may have lost some value having not been able to finalize a deal. Nevertheless, Ben Simmons will be a hot property on the market this offseason if the Sixers are prepared to hear offers for him.
He is an elite defensive talent who can also run the floor and create open looks for his teammates. But it is what he lacks that could force Philadelphia's hand. They need a scoring point guard who can also create, and sadly, that is not Simmons. In five games against the Hawks, the Australian didn't put up a single shot in the fourth quarter and he is meant to be Philly's second-best player.
Although Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers may not receive what they want for Ben Simmons since he has yet to prove himself as a half-court threat in the postseason, both would benefit from a change. Whether he leaves or not depends on the offers on the table and as of right now, his stock has arguably never been lower.
Guess the Lakers players!
