All-Star point guard Ben Simmons left the Philadelphia 76ers in a controversial fashion, forcing a trade to the Brooklyn Nets in 2022. But despite this, Simmons wouldn’t mind putting on the 76ers’ jersey once again in the future.
During a recent interview with Marc Spears, Simmons said that if the Nets were to trade him, his preferred destination would be Philadelphia.
“I’ll always have love for Philly. People always ask me like, ‘If you were to get traded again, where would you want it to be?’ I always say, ‘Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me,’” said Simmons. “And in time, you learn and grow as people. I don’t really have anything bad to say about Philly. It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is.”
The 76ers drafted Simmons with the first overall pick in 2016 and viewed him as the next franchise star. The LSU product initially delivered on the expectations, making three All-Star appearances and helping the team to become a regular playoff fixture in the Eastern Conference alongside Joel Embiid.
However, after receiving criticism for his performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Simmons’ relationship with the franchise turned south, and he asked to be traded. He ended up missing the entire 2021-22 campaign and was sent to the Nets as part of the trade that landed James Harden in Philly.
Simmons struggled following his return to the court in 2022-23, being limited to 42 games due to a back injury. He averaged a career-low 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.
