By Jerry Wein
So, Sixers center Joel Embiid was asked today at training camp for a reaction to Ben Simmons reportedly saying the relationship apparently with Embiid has run its course?
Here’s what he said:
I saw it. I’m not sure. I don’t know if it came from him or whatever, but over the past few months stuff has been put out there, looking at the reaction of him not being here. I feel like it’s fair to assume it’s coming from whether it’s his agent or his people or whatever.
I feel like over the years the way our team has been built around, you look at last year, the whole starting lineup shot — I was the worst three-point shooter in the starting lineup, and I shot 38 percent from three. We’ve always had shooters, and I feel like I can really play with anybody. I can make anybody better on the court. I don’t necessarily need shooters, but I feel like over the years, you look like when we signed Al, it’s because we needed a stretch five, just to make sure that was [there]. Most of my career, I’ve had to kind of step out to the three-point line, which I don’t mind. I like to be a basketball player, I like to do everything on the basketball court.
But I feel like our teams have been built, whether it’s the shooting needed or stretch five and all that stuff, I feel like he’s always had it here. And we still have it. Seth, one of the best three point shooters ever. Danny Green, Tobias is a 40 percent three point shooter. Furkan coming off of the bench. At times Shake, I think he can be a better shooter, but you know, he can get hot. We just added George. So I feel like, our teams have always been built around his needs.
It was kind of surprising to see. We’ll say that, even going back to, I mean, the reason we signed Al. We got rid of Jimmy, which I still think it was a mistake, just to make sure he needed the ball in his hands, and that’s the decision they made. Like I said, it is surprising.
We are a better team with him, there’s no question about it. We still hope he changes his mind, but I kind of owe it to these guys to worry about what we have here. That’s the fun of the job. To kind of figure out what’s going to happen, that’s not my job, I’m not the GM, I’m not an owner, so that’s none of my business, honestly.
Video of Joel Embiid's candid comments about Ben Simmons today:
"Our teams have always been built around [Ben's] needs. … The situation is weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to all the guys that are out here." pic.twitter.com/Z8olfesz5Y
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 30, 2021
