Rivers Unsure if Sixers Could've Survived Simmons Saga For Rest of the Year

Following the Philadelphia 76ers' disappointing Game 7 loss against the Atlanta Hawks last season, Ben Simmons chalked up his struggles to simply having "a bad

Following the Philadelphia 76ers' disappointing Game 7 loss against the Atlanta Hawks last season, Ben Simmons chalked up his struggles to simply having "a bad series." When asked if he would like to return to Philly, despite the fan base's potential urge to have him traded, Simmons seemed sure he wanted to stay.

But that wasn't really the case. A few days after the Sixers' season concluded, Ben Simmons and his camp formally requested a trade. Although the 76ers didn't plan to shop around the three-time All-Star, they explored the market.

For months, the Sixers fielded calls but couldn't find the right deal. While they attempted to lure Simmons back before training camp, the All-Star ball-handler doubled down on his desire to be moved and threatened a holdout.

Reports indicated that Simmons was willing to sit out for the entire 2021-2022 NBA season if he remains a member of the Sixers. Clearly, he wasn't bluffing as Simmons went over 50 games without showing face outside of Philly's practice facility.

As the trade deadline inched closer, it seemed the chances of the Sixers keeping Simmons for the remainder of the season were much higher than the chances of them finding a trade that would acquire the Sixers another All-Star.

If that were to become the case, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers believes that the team might not have been able to survive the second half of the season with that dark cloud hanging over them as the Simmons saga was beginning to get to the team.

Doc Was in Doubt

"Months passed. Simmons showed no interest in returning. Morey, with Embiid’s support, steadfastly refused to trade him for anything less than a superstar in return. In the locker room, though, morale was plummeting. Rivers says things were hard. 'The guys were just over it,' he says. 'We were winning games, and, every town we went to, we were talking about Ben. I don’t know if we could have gotten through the second half of the season with that hanging over our heads. I was praying something happened.'"  via Chris Mannix at SI.com

Rivers, and probably the rest of the team's prayers were answered. A few hours before the NBA put a cap on all trades until the offseason, the Sixers struck a deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Not only did they get out of the Simmons saga, but they landed a ten-time All-Star in James Harden, a player they've pursued in the past.

Everything worked out for the Sixers in the end on the Simmons front. Although the star's antics served as a distraction early on as the Sixers prepared for the regular season, and his absence on game nights called for tons of questions unrelated to upcoming and finished matchups, the Sixers survived the saga in the end.

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