“Did the Lakers protect me when it’s time to get rid of me? No, man, it’s part of the game” - Shaquille O’Neal on the Philadelphia 76ers’ protection of Ben Simmons after the playoffs, in debate with Tracy McGrady

Ben Simmons was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brooklyn Nets last week. The move sent Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Nets for Harden, with both primaries getting exactly what they wanted.

Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O’Neal broke down their thoughts of the trade in Wednesday’s episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq” on Spotify.

Should Philadelphia have protected Ben Simmons?

James Harden was looking for a way out of Brooklyn after becoming disinterested with their playing style, and Simmons had long wanted out of Philly. Ben was reportedly upset because his team did nothing to protect him after fans became angry.

Shaquille O’Neal said:

“Listen, I don't know, man. Did the Orlando Magic protect you? Did they protect Dwight (Howard)? Did they protect me? Did the Lakers protect me when it's time to get rid of me? No, man. It's part of the game.”

For O'Neal, the way Simmons was treated was part of the game. The big man does make a good point. In eight seasons for the LA Lakers, he averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.5 blocks. Those are incredible stats to average for any squad, and he was not protected.

Simmons, on the other hand, has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists in four seasons. In comparing the averages, if O’Neal, a Hall of Famer, was not protected, then why would Ben Simmons be?

Simmons played poorly in his last performance for Philadelphia. He then acted even more poorly in response to the fanbase giving him flack.

Failing to attempt a single shot in the final quarter in five out of seven games during the playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons left much to be desired. Shooting 15 for 45 on foul shots (33%), he had the worst free-throw percentage in NBA playoff history.

In Game 7, Simmons capped his poor performance by passing up a wide-open dunk for a pass, absolutely screaming to the crowd that he lacked confidence. Simmons ended the final game of the playoff series with a mere five points, eight rebounds and one steal in their loss.

McGrady commented on Simmons' playoff performance and how the 76ers should have handled the situation:

“You know how bad it was in the playoffs. And you knew that you had to get rid of this guy. Like to have him on your roster for the start of the season, I think, was damaging to him. Because you knew he wanted out. There’s no way he could have came back and played for Philly after what happened in those playoffs."

Realistically, any player who puts up a playoff performance like that would be roasted by fans. O’Neal questioned why Simmons would not be able to come back after that performance. McGrady replied:

“Ben Simmons is not you, bro. You mentally tough. That’s all I’m saying. Obviously, he does not have the mental fortitude to handle that. That’s why he wanted out.”

Simmons is most definitely not Shaq, as O’Neal has recorded his fair share of aggression and fights in the league. Fans of NBA history may remember his old scuffle with his fellow broadcaster, Charles Barkley.

O’Neal looked forward to being the biggest, strongest beast on the court. He thrived off using his size as a bully, and it worked. Shaquille can be known to be quite the same with his speech.

McGrady, on the other hand, explained with compassion:

“Some guys can’t handle it. But while he’s on the roster, protect your guy at all costs. That’s all I’m saying.”

Shaq rebutted:

“There is no protection. There’s a thing called social media. Ain’t no protection on social media ever.”

Simmons voiced his opinion earlier in the week after a long silence in blaming his actions on mental health. Shaq explained that “there were some discrepancies in his press conference,” but in respect neglected to give specifics. Shaq is known for being a hard-knock, tough guy so his comments make sense for him.

Tracy McGrady agreed but added:

“Some of the stuff that was getting leaked out should not have gotten leaked out.”

That is to say, Philadelphia should have done more to protect Simmons and his opinion on playing. It does not necessarily mean the team should have kept him and had faith, just rather that they should have been more reserved in the specifics from Simmons.

In any case, Simmons now has a new future with the Brooklyn Nets. Alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, Simmons has a fresh start to rewrite his name into the league with positivity.