With teams reportedly low-balling the Sixers in trade talks,the dispute will hang over the franchise and Bogut is also concerned Simmons will face fury from the notoriously ruthless Philadelphia fans.
“It’s just an ugly situation,but I think the group that he has around him aren’t probably the best advisors and that’s been Ben’s MO for the last three or four years,” Bogut toldThe Age and theSydney Morning Herald.
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“Does he get a pass for that at 24 or 25? You can only hide behind your minders so much - you have to come out and make your own decision eventually.
“It seems he gets pushed and pulled in the direction of whoever’s in the room with him. We somewhat experienced that with the national team - you just couldn’t get through to Ben. Once you get Ben in a room,he’s not a bad kid. He’s jovial,he chats,but it’s the other layers that cause problems.
“But you can’t excuse showing up with a cell phone in your pocket to a training session - you can’t get much lower than that.”
Simmons stood out of training camp and pre-season games,which saw him fined more than US$1 million of his US$33 million salary for this season,and Bogut questioned whether his behaviour was a ploy to be sent home.
“It looks as though this might be a chess move from Ben to get sent home on paid leave[until a trade is reached],” Bogut said.
“They made him report by fining him for missing training camp and whatever,so I believe if he reports like he has,and they tell him to go away,then they have to pay him.”
Brooklyn superstar James Harden forced a trade from the Houston Rockets last season when he wanted to join a contending team instead of helping the Rockets rebuild.
Harden reported to the team in what appeared to be poor physical condition and was in and out of the line-up before the Rockets traded him to the Nets,where he miraculously found his form and fitness.
But there is a big difference in the mindsets of their teams. The Houston Rockets were in the process of rebuilding,while the Sixers believe they can still compete for a championship.
Philadelphia spent years losing games and making trades to build via high draft picks,like Embiid and Simmons,so they will only accept a proven star in return who can help them now.
Bogut said Simmons and his teammates would continue to have an “elephant” in the room and that would be more uncomfortable during all the road trips and games spent together.
“My suggestion would be[to] go to practice,you don’t have to do the Kumbaya meetings,smile and shake everyone’s hand - just rock up to practice,work as hard as you can during training session time,and then leave,” Bogut said.
“That’s the bare minimum you are required to do until they find a trade partner. Right now,it’s not good for either party,it’s just messy.”
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