Simmons agent might try and hold him out this year. Is that a good idea?

[Diggles]

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/10/03/rumor-agent-rich-paul-wont-let-injured-ben-simmons-play-for-76ers-this-year/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs&yptr=yahoo

Do you agree with that? 

[Eja117]

A very long time

[LarBrd33]

It's an outstanding idea.

- Let's them feed developmental minutes into Saric
- Let's them focus on figuring out their center log jam.  Put the focus on the bigs this season so they can make a decision on which one they want to keep.
- Let's them tank again this year for potentially two Top 5 picks in a draft toploaded with PG's and SF's.
- Delays the need to field a competitive team this year.  They can push back the start of Phase 2 until next season.
- Takes pressure off Simmons to immediately be a savior.  They can bring him back slowly with low expectations.

A win all around.

[hpantazo]

He has nothing to gain from starting at mid-season and a lot to lose. I think it makes sense. Let him get a feel for the NBA on the sidelines and in practice slowly as he recovers, and while the Sixers figure out the rest of their roster.

[Granath]

He has nothing to gain from starting at mid-season and a lot to lose. I think it makes sense. Let him get a feel for the NBA on the sidelines and in practice slowly as he recovers, and while the Sixers figure out the rest of their roster.

Meanwhile, the 76ers lose their supposed best playmaker and one of 4 guaranteed years on his contract (and the subsequent delay in his development). I'd tell his agent to pound sand unless he wants to have Simmons' contract begin next season.

At best this is his agent floating the idea. Or it's wild speculation. As far as his agent "letting" him play, the last time I checked his agent didn't run the team. It's the golden rule - he who has the gold makes the rules and in this case the agent has almost no power whatsoever.

[tazzmaniac]

If he's ready to play in January, he should play.  If he won't be ready until March, I'd just sit him for the season. 

[celticsclay]

I don't really get how this is the agent's call. That is what is troubling for me. If the doctors clear him to play and deem him not at risk of future injuries, who is the agent to say "he won't let him." That really strikes me as getting off on the wrong foot with the team (honestly didn't intend the pun but i will leave it).

I also don't agree that this is good for the 76ers in any way. They clearly will not have embiid, okafor and Noel on their roster indefinitely. The beginning of this season could have been the only opportunity to see how Simmons played with Okafor versus how he played with Noel versus how he played with embiid. Maybe Simmon's playmaking makes Noel look like an average offensive players whereas Okafor clamps down the ball movement too much to fully utilize Simmons? Maybe it would be the other way around.

 Now they have to make that decision without seeing those guys ever play together. That is a pretty tough break for them.

Fun food for thought: If it was known Simmons was going to have a broken foot and miss the entire season would he still have gone first? Would the 76ers have taken Dunn or Ingram in that case? Would we end up with him?

edit: as a basketball fan i also just wanted to see him play.

[moiso]

Whenever he is cleared to play is when he should play.  He shouldn't sit out any extra.  Even if it's a couple weeks at the end of the season it would be good for him to get a taste of the NBA.  Even Paul George came back for just a few games a couple seasons ago. 

Philly needs him; they aren't trying to tank again nor should they.   Plus Simmons doesn't need the backlash like D Rose got when he was cleared but didn't want to play yet.

[jpotter33]

It's an outstanding idea.

- Let's them feed developmental minutes into Saric
- Let's them focus on figuring out their center log jam.  Put the focus on the bigs this season so they can make a decision on which one they want to keep.
- Let's them tank again this year for potentially two Top 5 picks in a draft toploaded with PG's and SF's.
- Delays the need to field a competitive team this year.  They can push back the start of Phase 2 until next season.
- Takes pressure off Simmons to immediately be a savior.  They can bring him back slowly with low expectations.

A win all around.

They're going to eventually have to trade some of these picks for veteran help. Colangelo has already expressed hesitancy with how many rookies they currently have, so I can't imagine him adding two more lottery picks next year. There's also the fact that you can only develop so many top-level talents at one time.

Hopefully their better guards this year will allow them to stay ahead of Brooklyn for the race to the bottom.

EDIT: I would imagine some type of fan revolt if they kept him out all year once again. That's absolutely killer to the fans to make them wait another year to start actually competing with teams and playing for wins. This will be the fourth year in a row of this.

[cons]

Karma wise this would just be inviting more injuries and disaster. If you play to
Lose forever I don't see how you can really expect to be rewarded.  In a " cosmic" sense.  Peace dudes.

[slamtheking]

feel bad for Simmons (and not just for being drafted by Philly) but karma's a Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. and she's biting Philly's butt for all that blatant tanking.  no sympathy there.   yet another example why a franchise can't afford to put all its eggs in the 'draft' basket.  they need to keep all options open for improving.

as for the agent, he should have no say in this.  it's up to the team when they put their new franchise savior on the court.    it would behoove them to do so this year to avoid having another prize player lose a year off their rookie deal (hello Embiid) and also see which big man he gels with (if any).  if Simmons is out for the year, I fully expect Noel to do whatever he has to to hit the free agent market as soon as possible which would be yet another kick in the teeth to Philly and one more demonstration why banking on the draft exclusively isn't a prudent path.

[SHAQATTACK]

Time to quit collecting toys and play basketball.  Hire some vets and put on a show for the fans.

[fairweatherfan]

It wouldn't be a Sixers season without a key young player out for the season with a fluke injury.  I say go for it and god bless.

[celticsclay]

It's not like 76ers fans voted for the team to stink. Their fans were rightfully getting excited to see the grand prize of the multi year tank. Now they may have to wait a whole other year at which point Noel will be on a max contract and embiid will enter the final year of his rookie deal with presumably only 60 minute limited games under his belt (assuming no set backs). This was the year they couldn't afford to kick the can down the road again. Sad times for the 76ers fans.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Agent trying to force a trade.