Earlier: If Ben Simmons is working his way back to play with the Philadelphia 76ers this season, he didn’t appear to be working too hard in video captured Monday.
This afternoon, NBC Sports Philadelphia tweeted out video of Simmons practicing in sweatpants with his phone in the right front pocket. The 25-year-old playmaker was doing a half-court defensive drill in the clip.
Now, it didn’t look like any of the players in the video were going full speed, but the fact Simmons had his phone on him is pretty wild.
Forty seconds of Ben Simmons in Sixers gear, at Sixers practice, on Monday: pic.twitter.com/CDzMQdFpXL
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 18, 2021
After an offseason of reports that Simmons was done playing for Philadelphia and would not report back to the team, the former No. 1 overall pick did show up last week. He made his practice debut this weekend.
Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers said that when “[Simmons] is ready, he’ll play,” but we’re skeptical. Does the man in that video above look like someone who is intent on helping his team compete for a championship?
It still feels like a trade is best for both parties and will happen eventually. In the meantime, Simmons remains part of the Sixers, cell phone and all.
Update: According to NBA insider Marc Stein, it might have been a practice jersey in Simmons’ pocket, as opposed to a phone. This is at least slightly better.
Simmons, I’m told, kept his practice jersey in his pocket during portions of today’s Sixers workout. He will undoubtedly be asked about the exact contents when he speaks to the media for the first time since ending his holdout and I shouldn’t have amplified the story before that. https://t.co/GNcaIKf0cQ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 18, 2021
However, it still doesn’t appear that Simmons was overly engaged, at least from an outsiders perspective. We’re still not sure his relationship with Philly is salvageable.
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