Sixers' Seth Curry Hopes to Play With Ben Simmons Again

Following a disappointing second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons took a lot of heat for the team's Game 7 loss as he scored just four points in the entire outing.

As Sixers head coach Doc Rivers questioned whether Simmons could play point guard for a championship-winning squad or not, the trade rumors started piling up as many want to see the Simmons-Joel Embiid duo split up sooner than later.

But Doc Rivers doesn't want that -- and neither does Seth Curry. The veteran sharpshooter, who played alongside Simmons all season long, enjoyed his first full season playing with the three-time All-Star.

And although Simmons' offensive limitations hurt the Sixers in the postseason this past year, Curry believes a little confidence can a long way for Simmons next season, and he hopes to witness it firsthand when he returns to Philly for the 2021-2022 run.

Seth Curry does NOT want the #Sixers to Trade Ben Simmons

Curry tells me he believes the Sixers can win an NBA title with Simmons

"I love playing with Ben... he's still a great player, he obviously had a rough playoffs... I look forward to playing with him again"#BenSimmons pic.twitter.com/uhyN6YnNZA
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) July 9, 2021

"[I would tell him] have confidence in your practice," Curry told Jeff Skversky of 6ABC recently. "That's pretty much it, man. He's capable of doing certain things he hasn't shown on the floor. I've seen it in practice. I've seen the things he works on. He's just gotta carry it over to the game. It's as simple as that -- just have confidence."

During the offseason, taking time away from the court could do wonders for Simmons, who admitted he had a mental block at times throughout the regular season, especially in the playoffs.

It's unclear if Simmons will do enough to unlock other aspects of his offensive game this offseason, as he's failed to do so in previous years. Still, regardless of what happens in the offseason, Curry wants to see Simmons back in the City of Brotherly Love for next season.

"I love playing with Ben," Curry explained. "He made me a better player individually. He made our team better all season long. He's still a great player. He obviously had a rough playoff -- we know that story -- but the front office is going to do whatever is best for the team, I'm sure of it. If that means Ben's coming back. . . I hope for it, and I'm looking forward to playing with him again. Like I said, he's a great player and made me better as a player, and I know he's going to be in the gym working hard too."

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.