PHILADELPHIA — As the world waits for a Ben Simmons trade, Sixers players continue to get asked about the situation, and Joel Embiid has no qualms about sharing his opinion. Embiid saw first-hand how the team catered to Simmons over the past few years and doesn’t understand how why the 25-year-old is so upset with the organization.
[Related: Sixers Continue to Eye Western Conference Teams for Ben Simmons Trade]
One example of the Sixers making Simmons a priority was the organization’s decision to move on from Jimmy Butler.
“The reason we signed Al and we got rid of Jimmy, which I still think is a mistake, was to make sure that he has the ball in his hands,” Embiid said of Butler (h/t Ky Carlin of The Sixers Wire). “It is surprising, but I’m focused on the guys that are here. The situation is weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful.”
Butler had multiple suitors during the 2019 offseason, as I wrote for SLAM Magazine at the time. Leading up to the summer, there were reports that Philly had interest in bringing back both Butler and Tobias Harris, who was also a free agent. However, Butler departed for Miami via sign-and-trade, and the team brought in Al Horford.
“I feel like I can play with really anybody and I can make anybody better on the court,” Embiid continued. “I don’t necessarily need shooters, but I feel like over the years, when you look at when we signed Al (Horford), we needed a stretch-5. That was for him and most of my career, I’ve had to step out to the 3-point line and I don’t mind. I like to be a basketball player. I like to do everything out on the basketball court.”
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