Former NBA Veteran Isn't Surprised by Ben Simmons' Recent Antics

Lately, Ben Simmons has let a lot of people down. After struggling in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs by shooting a historically low percentage from the free-throw line and avoiding taking over games in big moments, Simmons searched for a fresh start by demanding a trade from the Sixers.

Simmons' trade request was a mystery for a while. While several reports indicated there were numerous reasons why he wanted out -- it ultimately seemed like Simmons was jumping ship when things got tough for the young guard.

To former NBA veteran Andrew Bogut, that comes as no surprise. Bogut, an Australian native, has ties to Simmons as they come from the same nation. Over the summer, the Boomers legend was looking forward to having Ben Simmons represent Australia in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but was disappointed when the NBA All-Star withdrew late in the process.

While Bogut understood Simmons' situation a few months ago, he showed signs of frustration as the Sixers guard kept the team waiting on his decision to join them or withdraw. Eventually, Simmons made his decision, and he decided to back out after initially showing excitement about playing in the Tokyo games one year prior.

When Simmons backed out of the Olympics, it was apparent that his struggles in the NBA playoffs took a mental toll on the young guard. While he had a few months to recover, the three-time All-Star still admitted he still isn't ready to return and play for the Sixers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Therefore, Simmons' offseason antics have reached new heights this week as he was kicked out of Tuesday's practice and suspended for one game.

Bogut, who's been paying attention to the Australian star's journey lately, recently dished in his opinion on the matter. While Bogut wants to see Simmons and the Sixers come to a healthy conclusion soon -- the former Golden State Warriors big man made it clear he's far from surprised about what's going on.

“It’s not good for either party, in my opinion. Ben’s side of things, training with your phone in your pocket, not being glued in to what’s going on,” Bogut told SEN on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, he has form doing these kinds of things; we experienced it with the national team. “There’s not going to be too much sympathy for him, but hopefully they can sort it out and both parties can have something positive to come out of it.” via Fox Sports.

Ben Simmons practiced with the Sixers three times before the team's regular-season opener on Wednesday. After Tuesday's antics, he was forced to sit out of Wednesday's game. On Thursday, Doc Rivers gave his players the day off after they dominated the New Orleans Pelicans on the road.

The Sixers are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets for their second game of the season on Friday night. Whether Ben Simmons will make his season debut then is currently unclear. As the situation continues to unfold, it seems Simmons is nowhere near ready to play for the 76ers. But as we've learned throughout this process, anything can happen.

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