Give Ben Simmons credit. He at least seems to understand how bad he looks. How else should we interpret Monday’s report that the Sixers’ onetime franchise cornerstone plans to accompany his new teammates on their scheduled trip to the Wells Fargo Center this Thursday?
To be clear, Simmons won’t be in uniform. The Nets obviously understood the fragile psyche of their newest member well enough to know that it was never going to be a good idea to have him suit up in Philly. But he will be on the bench, in full view of the teammates he jilted and the coach he disrespected and the fans who can’t wait to give him a piece of their mind. He won’t be playing, but he will be present. At least, that’s the plan at the current moment, according to The Athletic.
Of course, it remains to be seen if the plan actually comes to fruition. Simmons spent seven months running away from the people he embarrassed himself in front of last postseason. It’s hard to believe that he’s turned enough of a corner to suddenly put himself in the same room with them. Really, what’s another couple of days? If he does make the trip, good for him. It will be the first step on the long road he must travel in order to reclaim his dignity. A small step, yes, but a step nonetheless.
