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It's been nearly a year since Ben Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, and he is yet to play against his former teammate Joel Embiid. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne expects the two to play against each other on Wednesday night for the first time since Simmons' dramatic departure from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Shelburne strongly believes that Embiid's status for the game will eventually change. Due to the drama surrounding the two stars, they will garner a lot of attention.
"You know he love the drama," Shelburne said. "Joel's gonna play tonight. Come on, what are you talking about? He's gonna warm up, he's not gonna miss this game."
She shared how much the players are aware of the drama that's been around them since the trade came to fruition.
"My favorite part of the drama with Joel is, if you ask him about Ben Simmons, he will not use the name," Shelburne said. "'Two-five, the other guy.' These postgame interviews, pregame interviews are going to be very fun tonight. I know this happened a while ago. They've moved on.
"But these guys keep track. Ben pays attention to what Joel says; Joel pays attention to what Ben says. They don't use each other's names."
According to the Brooklyn Nets' injury report, Simmons is ready to play against the Sixers. For Philly, however, they've listed Embiid as questionable. If his status changes, it'll be the first time they'll play against each other since the Australian guard's sensational exit from the organization.
As the tipoff approaches, fans could see a change in Embiid's status. The game is bound to be epic if the Cameroonian big man plays against his former Australian teammate.
Also read: NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons reportedly wants ex-fiance Maya Jama to return £800,000 engagement ring
Jay Williams defended Ben Simmons' subpar performance in the season
The 2022-23 NBA season hasn't been kind to Ben Simmons as he continues to struggle offensively. Due to this, there have been accusations and comments about his worth. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said Simmons is "stealing money" from the Nets organization.
The three-time All-Star is in the middle of his five-year $170 million contract. This season alone, he's guaranteed to earn $35 million. His game hasn't matched his production as he's averaging below his usual averages. Simmons is averaging 7.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 35 games.
Former NBA player Jay Williams shared his concerns with Simmons after being accused of "stealing money."
"It's easy as a fan, you can sit there and say, 'You're stealing money.' I get it," Williams said. "He's underperforming, drastically underperforming.
"Ben Simmons is still one hell of a defensive player. He may not be able to score a bucket and all, he needs to be more aggressive."
Whether that's true or not, there is good reason for others to think that the 6-foot-10 forward isn't playing at a high level. He needs to prove that he's a player worthy of a big contract.
Guess the Lakers players!
