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“Anyone who thinks what Ben Simmons is doing is good for business is an idiot”: Charles Barkley explains his reasoning behind not sympathizing with the Sixers star

Samir Mehdi
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"They started off the season begging him to come back, so they have massaged him Shaq": Charles Barkley on Ben Simmons agreeing to meet a specialist assigned by the 76ers

Charles Barkley says that he finds there to be a significant problem with the way Ben Simmons is handling his situation with the Sixers. 

Ben Simmons has undoubtedly been the most talked about player this 2021 offseason and as NBA fans may know, it isn’t for good reasons. His atrocious 7-game outing against the Atlanta Hawks in the ECSF last season saw the Philadelphia 76ers lose despite being the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. 

This led to both Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid saying some questionable things to the media post Game 7, followed up with reports of a serious disconnect between the Sixers organization and Ben Simmons. Fast-forward to present day and the DPOY candidate has asked to be traded several times and has profusely stated he would not play another game in a Sixers uniform.

Also read: “I was happy Serge Ibaka won, but nobody else”: Kevin Durant explains why he returned to play for Golden State Warriors despite calf strain in the 2019 NBA Finals

With the inevitability the surrounds the Australian native’s departure from Philadelphia, former Sixers legend, Charles Barkley, has a few choice words for him. 

Charles Barkley isn’t a fan of how Ben Simmons is handling things with the Sixers. 

Charles Barkley, prior to what took place in the 2021 ECSF, had actually been a major supporter of Ben Simmons. He said that Simmons was a jumpshot away from being an all-time great and has also compared his tandem with Joel Embiid to what Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had with the Lakers.

Also read: “Isaiah Thomas is a ridiculously good and effective player”: When CJ McCollum lauded the former Celtics star while breaking down his game from the 2016 Playoffs

However, with the way Ben has handled things in Philly, it seems as though Chuck isn’t all too big of a fan of the 2x All-Star.

In his mini rant about Simmons, Barkley pointed out that he’s frustrated with how he’s being paid upwards of $40 million a year and is getting mad when asked to work on his craft. He later revealed it I because of things like this that he will be walking away from the NBA analysis pretty soon. 

The Suns legend ended his take by saying, “Anybody who thinks that’s a good way to do business, is just an idiot. Period.” 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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