After weeks of speculation, the Nets and 76ers have reportedly agreed to a blockbuster trade that could shift the balance in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn sends James Harden, acquired just last season from Houston, to Philadelphia for a package headlined by Ben Simmons.
Simmons has not played for the 76ers yet this season, citing mental health concerns. The former No. 1 pick has always been reticent to shoot the ball, and things came to a head in last season's playoff loss to the Hawks, in which he attempted just 14 shots across the team's final three games.
Simmons and Joel Embiid had formed one of the Eastern Conference's most talented duos, but Embiid has alternatively defended and criticized Simmons during his absence this year.
Now that he's heading up to Brooklyn, Embiid isn't holding back. Minutes after the trade news broke, he posted a meme that pretty clearly depicts his feelings about Simmons's impending departure.
The original photo went viral on Instagram in 2015, with the poster saying he attended “one of my biggest haters funeral today” to make sure he was dead.
The Embiid and Simmons duo failed to secure a Finals berth in their time together despite the pair combining to earn four All-NBA teams and eight All-Star selections.
The superstar center seems more than happy to be done with the Simmons era. He’s now ready to try to make a run at the NBA title with Harden.
- NBA Trade Deadline Live Blog: What We’re Hearing
- NBA Trade Grades: Nets Deal James Harden to 76ers for Ben Simmons
- Should the Nets Panic?
- Do James Harden and Joel Embiid Make Sense Together?
- All 76ers: Doc Rivers Cancels Practice as Trade Rumors Loom
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