0 of three
Matt Slocum/Associated Press
For the previous two months, rumors like repeatedly swirled about Ben Simmons. And yet, with less than three weeks to dawdle till the commence of the 2021-22 NBA season, there’s aloof a ton of uncertainty relating to Simmons’ situation with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Will Simmons get traded? Will he ever expose as a lot as coaching camp if he’s no longer dealt? Has the 25-year-venerable All-Star point guard played his final game for Philadelphia? When and where would be the next time he takes the court docket for a game?
They’re all viable questions that also don’t like solutions. They’ll arrive someday, however it completely’s unclear when that shall be.
For now, right here is a number of of essentially the most unique buzz surrounding Simmons and the remainder of the NBA with coaching camps underway all the diagram in which by the league.
1 of three
Chris Szagola/Associated Press
Simmons has already overlooked the commence of 76ers coaching camp. In line with a characterize from Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Simmons is no longer insecure about lacking out on the cash or getting fined by the crew for lacking practices and games.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne regarded on The Jump and shared a characterize that appears to be like to again that relate. Because of it would no longer appear like Simmons is getting any nearer to altering his thoughts and displaying up for Philadelphia.
“Ben Simmons is willing to sit down so long as it takes, too,” Shelburne said. “If you happen to refer to with of us end to Ben, and I thunder, ‘Worse-case anguish it takes all year, would he sit all year?’ And the answer lawful now is, ‘Yes.'”
That does no longer imply the 76ers aren’t aloof attempting to dawdle Simmons, even though. In line with ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the San Antonio Spurs like had discussions with Philadelphia, however “talks have not gotten some distance.” Or no longer it’s unknown what number of other teams are aloof likely suitors and where talks stand with any one else.
So, for now, it’s extra of a retaining sample to glance what’s going to be in Simmons’ future.
2 of three
Eric Homosexual/Associated Press
Thaddeus Younger has yet to play his first game with the Spurs. Despite that, it already appears to be like to be as if the 33-year-venerable ahead shall be venerable as a likely trade chip for San Antonio someday down the line.
Lowe reported that Younger is an “obtrusive trade candidate” for the Spurs and that plenty of contending teams like already inquired about him. Younger has shown in most unique years that he can aloof be a productive player, at the same time as he heads into his 15th NBA season.
Younger became as soon as moved to San Antonio in the signal-and-trade deal that despatched DeMar DeRozan to the Chicago Bulls. Younger spent the previous two seasons in Chicago, largely serving in a precious bench unbiased for the crew. Closing season, he averaged 12.1 facets, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 68 games (23 starts).
The Spurs like overlooked the playoffs every of the previous two seasons, and so they are going to also simply no longer be in build to get back there in 2021-22. If that appears to be like to be to be the case, San Antonio might perhaps again from buying and selling Younger whereas he has high payment and getting some youthful avid gamers or draft capital in return.
3 of three
Eric Homosexual/Associated Press
Since changing into head coach of the Spurs in 1996, Gregg Popovich has achieved it all. He’s a five-time NBA champion, a three-time NBA Coach of the 300 and sixty five days and enters the 2021-22 season with 1,310 occupation standard-season wins, most productive 25 horrified of Don Nelson for essentially the most all time.
But someday, the 72-year-venerable Popovich goes to dangle it up. May perhaps that be after the upcoming season?
Probably no longer. In line with Lowe, there are of us who imagine that Popovich can also simply be sticking spherical for a whereas longer.
“No person is chase if Popovich will coach beyond this season, however plenty of sources who know him cautioned in most unique weeks that it would no longer shock them if he returned for 2022-23,” Lowe wrote.
Though the Spurs like had success for most of Popovich’s tenure, they’ve had losing records every of the previous two seasons. Presumably he’s attempting to get them again on track and abilities a final bit of success before sooner or later retiring.
