Ben Simmons and Philadelphia 76ers Drama Only Benefits Atlanta Hawks

In case you have been hiding under a rock for the past three months, the Atlanta Hawks broke the Philadelphia 76ers 'Process,' and now one of the two pillars of their franchise wants out.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported today what we had heard for some time - Ben Simmons has no desire to ever play for the 76ers again.

ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons will not report for opening of training camp next week and intends to never play another game for the franchise. Simmons hasn’t spoken to team since a late August meeting when he communicated this message to Sixers officials.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 21, 2021

Now, 76ers General Manager Daryl Morey and head coach Doc Rivers must find a solution to an unwinnable situation. The organization can either continuously fine Simmons for his absence or trade the All-Star for pennies on the dollar.

Simmons is on the 76ers' books for approximately $33 million this season, with his annual base salary increasing throughout the 2024-25 season. So cutting their losses and accepting a trade they are unhappy with is the most likely outcome. In the best-case scenario, they acquire a player like CJ McCollum, Andrew Wiggins, or John Wall via trade.

To further complicate matters, the 76ers are under a strict championship window after signing Joel Embiid to a five-year supermax extension. They cannot afford to take steps backwards in the process. However this plays out in Philadelphia, it will almost certainly result in a worse regular season record than last season.

In the 2020-21 season, Joel Embiid finished second in the MVP voting, and Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game. Thanks to their dynamic duo finally flourishing, the 76ers went 49-23 and earned the 1-seed in the Eastern Conference. And then, well, you know what happened after that.

John Collins' shirt for post-game interviews has a picture of him dunking on Embiid during Game 6.

(via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/k86uhHPUeG
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 21, 2021

Before defeating the best team in the Eastern Conference on their home floor, the Hawks had a 41-31 record. As a result, many fans and analysts believe their playoff run was a fluke. So, is it realistic for Hawks fans to think they can leapfrog the dysfunctional 76ers this season? Yes, without question.

While the City of Brotherly Love fought amongst themselves, Atlanta handled its business. There were no flashy trades, but they did lock up Trae Young, John Collins, and Clint Capela through 2025. All three are well south of 30-years-old and are coming off career years.

Since July, the Hawks grew together while the 76ers grew apart. The 82-game season is a marathon complete with unexpected obstacles. While we can count on the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets being the frontrunners, everything else is up in the air.

The revamped Miami Heat or old-school New York Knicks could easily make a run at the 3-seed. Sadly, nobody has a crystal ball that can tell the future. But the Hawks finishing with a better regular season record than the 76ers could become reality.

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