76ers' Joel Embiid slams media for pushing rumors about relationship with Ben Simmons: 'I like taking part in with Ben'

Joel Embiid has entered the Ben Simmons discourse. This could go nicely.

The 76ers star took to Twitter on Wednesday morning and supplied a robust response to a report from USA At this time’s Jeff Zillgitt stating that the “Simmons-Embiid rift had been escalating” and went past Embiid’s feedback after Recreation 7 of the Japanese Convention semifinals. After the Hawks eradicated the Sixers, Embiid known as Simmons’ choice to move out of an open dunk within the fourth quarter a “turning level” within the contest.

MORE: What’s Ben Simmons’ commerce worth?

With Simmons commerce mania at a fever pitch following a separate report indicating that the previous No. 1 general choose needs out of Philadelphia and would not plan on exhibiting up for coaching camp, Embiid felt it was time for him to put his ideas on the document.

“Cease utilizing my identify to push individuals’s agendas,” Embiid tweeted. “I like and hate drama. I like taking part in with Ben. Stats do not lie. He is a tremendous participant and all of us did not get the job finished. It is on me personally. I hope everyone seems to be again [because] we all know we’re ok to win. … From my very own expertise, y’all don’t know how a lot this media makes up stuff for followers and disgrace on you for believing them.”

The NBA MVP runner-up later added that he hadn’t forgotten concerning the harsh criticism he obtained in earlier years and instructed Sixers followers that they wanted to “be higher.”

Let’s stick with the primary subject at hand right here: the Simmons-Embiid dynamic.

Embiid is not mistaken concerning the stats when he performs with Simmons. As 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey might be completely satisfied to inform you, lineups that includes Embiid and Simmons have not simply labored — they’ve excelled. Nonetheless, it was a special story final season after they performed individually, notably when Simmons logged minutes with out Embiid.

Whereas Philly did flame out spectacularly within the playoffs, it’s price noting that the Sixers completed with the most effective document within the Japanese Convention in the course of the common season (49-23) and the third-best document general behind the Jazz (52-20) and Suns (51-21). So sure, this workforce is completely ok to win video games, and it was ok to advance to at the very least the Japanese Convention finals.

It is admirable that Embiid needs to stay up for his teammate — although he ought to have finished that again in June — but it surely’s clear there’s a match drawback regardless of all the constructive numbers.

Simmons is stellar in a number of areas, however his unwillingness to shoot midrange jumpers not to mention 3-pointers has mucked up the 76ers’ offense for years. His incapability to hit free throws makes him a legal responsibility on the finish of playoff video games and places extra stress on Embiid. (Look no additional than the Sixers’ Recreation 5 collapse in opposition to the Hawks.) How far more can the massive man actually do?

Even when Simmons and Embiid are on good phrases, it is exhausting to examine a situation by which Simmons returns to Philadelphia and the workforce finds success. Embiid is understood for his social media expertise, however just a few tweets aren’t going to repair this.