by Andrew on Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:37 pm
It's a complete mess. I think Rich Paul expected to Daryl Morey to blink, and he hasn't. Not that that strategy doesn't have a ton of risks of its own, mind you, but I think Ben Simmons and Paul expected to look like the good guys in the situation.
Only, Simmons hasn't banked that kind of goodwill. He's got a point that the 76ers kind of threw him under the bus after the Playoff exit last season, but by the same token, he hasn't improved his game. He seems disinterested in doing so, compared to his interest in being a socialite. He's repeatedly dipped out on the Australian national team, though to that end, I'm not unhappy that he missed out on being part of the first squad to win a medal. It's seemingly confirming those pre-Draft scouting reports back in 2016 that openly wondered if he was truly interested in and committed to professional basketball.
It's also why a lot of people doubt his claims about mental health. That's extremely unfortunate, because mental health is something to take seriously, and there's still a stigma against athletes and celebrities speaking out on something that can affect us all; the whole "you're getting paid millions, just shut up and go to work" mentality that I absolutely disagree with, because that doesn't make you immune to those problems, and also carries its own challenges. I don't like to be sceptical about someone else's mental health. When you've squandered that goodwill though, and you refuse to see a neutral medical professional about it so that you and the team can best work out how to proceed, it invites scepticism. If he's being genuine, I think he needs better help. If he's using it as an excuse, that's really low of him and his management to do, especially when players like Kevin Love have been trying to bring more awareness to such issues.
If I'm another GM, I don't want any part of that. Even if it's just because he's unhappy with the 76ers and not entirely wrongfully so, it's a huge risk to give up picks and quality players for him. Who's to say he won't do the same thing if he's unhappy in the future? Who's to say he'll actually work on his game and play to his full potential? I've defended Simmons before and I've wanted to see him succeed. He is an Aussie - when it suits him - and he spent part of his early life in my hometown, as his father played for the local team (when we had one). Someone I went to school with even coached him when he played at the rep level here. But it feels like he's squandering his talent, certainly squandering his goodwill, and not being a professional. He's tried a power play and maybe it'll get him out of Philadelphia, but I think it'll hurt him more in the long run.