Report: Ben Simmons tells 76ers he doesn’t want to be with team

Ben Simmons has told the Philadelphia 76ers he no longer wants to be with the team, according to a report Keith Pompey at the Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey reported that Simmons intends to skip training camp until he is traded.

The star guard has three years left on his contract, which was originally a five-year deal for $177 million. The enigmatic star has been successful during his time in Philadelphia, but his flaws were exposed in a surprising playoff exit at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks.

Simmons took time off from the Summer Olympics to work on “skill development” according to multiple reports, which is essentially code for having any semblance of a jump shot. The guard has notoriously avoided taking open looks, largely because he hasn’t been forced to do so. This works well for the 76ers during the regular season, but it creates major problems during the playoffs. The Hawks exposed Simmons’ flaws, with the guard adding in poor free-throw shooting and eventually shying away from any offensive effort for the rest of the series.

The 76ers have been working with Simmons’ representatives on a deal, but there’s little interest around the league for the package Philadelphia wants. With this report, the value for Simmons in a trade becomes lower. The 76ers want significant value in return for the guard, who was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year last season.