Joel Embiid had remained in a measured tone regarding the situation they are living in Philadelphia with Ben Simmons, but this has changed once a report has reached his ears in which the point guard points to him as one of the reasons for wanting to leave the team. Without getting into the personal touch, Sam Amick from The Athletic reveals that Simmons assures that the germ of his attitude is in the certainty that his career will be better away from Joel Embiid, since his game intercedes in his by closing the corridors to the basket.
The response of the Cameroonian pivot, visibly upset, has not been long in coming. Although days ago he assured that he preferred to play alongside Simmons and that he thought the team was better with him, in the same way he cannot understand that Simmons can complain about the space he has been given to develop his game.
«It was a bit surprising to see it. We’ll put it like this: even going back to why we signed Al Horford… We got rid of Jimmy Butler, which I still think was a mistake. All of this was solely to ensure that he had the ball in his hands because he needed it, and that is why they made that decision. Like I said, it’s amazing… For most of my career I’ve had to step back towards the three-point line, which I don’t care. I like being a basketball player and doing my best on the court, “Embiid told the media before stressing how focused the organization was on meeting Simmons’ needs.
“I feel that our teams have been built, either by adding the necessary shot or in the position of ‘five’ and those things, taking it into account. And it has continued to be done. Seth Curry is one of the best 3-point shooters of all time. Danny Green or Tobias are 40 percent 3-pointers. Furkan Korkmaz coming off the bench. Sometimes Shake Milton shows up, who I think may be a better shooter, but you know, he can get hot. We just added Georges Nian-. So I feel like our teams have always been built around their needs, ”he says.
The center it can’t be much clearer. Until now he had understood that each individual makes his own decisions and that he was not going to enter there, but the reasons given by Simmons have not liked him at all. He is very hurt by everything that is happening, but he is clear that his mind cannot be on that issue, but on those who accompany him in this preseason.
“I’m really focused on the guys that are here. The situation, the position taken… it is strange, disappointing, almost disrespectful to all the boys who are here fighting for their lives. Some guys rely on the team to succeed to stay in the league and make money in some way. Because if you are on a winning team, you will always have a place in the league, just because you are on a winning team and you contributed to it, “he concludes.
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