March 2021 Philadelphia Sixers Wiretap

Scott O'Neil Steps Down As CEO Of 76ers, Devils

Jun 30, 2021 12:42 PM

Scott O'Neil has stepped down as CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.

“I’m not riding off into the sunset,” O’Neil said in an interview. “I like big opportunity.”

O'Neil said he would like to build another platform in sports, entertainment, media and technology. 

O'Neil and HBSE partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer reached an agreement on a buyout of that stake.

During O'Neil's tenure, the value of the 76ers rose from $415 million in 2014 to $2.5 billion. 

Scott Soshnick, Eben Novy-Williams/Sportico

Tags: Philadelphia Sixers, NBA

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Ben Simmons Won't Play In Tokyo Olympics

Jun 28, 2021 9:41 PM

Ben Simmons will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics. for Australia 

Brian Goorjian said in a statement that he and Team Australia "understand and support his decision."

"The best thing for everybody right now is for him to go on and develop that skill package and improve in a couple of areas for his next season in the NBA, but the Boomers are always here for him. We wanted him to know that in his time of need, the culture and the guys here are behind him and support him," Goorjian said.

Simmons heads into an uncertain offseason following the Philadelphia 76ers' second round exit.  

ESPN

Tags: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia Sixers, Australia, NBA, National, National Olympics, National Teams

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Rich Paul Discusses Possibility Of Ben Simmons Trade With 76ers

Jun 24, 2021 11:59 AM

The Philadelphia 76ers have begun discussions on the future of Ben Simmons, which included his agent Rich Paul.

Paul met with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand at the pre-draft combine.

Simmons has four years and $147 million left on his contract.

While no trade request has been made, Paul engaged the 76ers on whether it would make sense to work together to find a trade before the start of next season.

Sources say the trade value of Simmons remains significant should a deal be pursued.

The 76ers remain committed to working through the shooting issues Simmons currently is dealing with, especially at the free show line. 

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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76ers Drafted Mikal Bridges In 2018 Expecting To Keep Him

Jun 24, 2021 11:36 AM

The Philadelphia 76ers had no intention of trading Mikal Bridges when they drafted him at No. 10 overall at the 2018 NBA draft, multiple sources tell The Athletic.

The 76ers entered the draft, run by Brett Brown shortly after Bryan Colangelo resigned in the wake of a social media scandal, with Bridges and Zhaire Smith next to each other on their board. Bridges was the favorite of the coaching staff while the team's scouts preferred Smith. The organization settled on Bridges as the better option of the two.

When Bridges received a call from a member of the Philadelphia front office that he was their pick at No. 10, there was no indication he would play anywhere but the same city had played in high school and college.

The Phoenix Suns, however, hoped to make a deal for Bridges. The Suns tried to trade up with the Cleveland Cavaliers at No. 8 and the New York Knicks at No. 9, but both teams said no. The 76ers did as well but their denial was softer. Phoenix was trying to trade up for either Bridges or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

The 76ers were interested in acquiring an unprotected first round pick from the Miami Heat that the Suns owned, which Phoenix eventually included in their offer about a minute before the pick at No. 16 was due.

The trade was a rare one in which a draft night deal was made on the fly.

“It doesn’t,” one league source said. “Usually it’s pre-arranged; 95 percent of the time it’s pre-arranged.”

While Smith didn't work out for the 76ers, the Miami pick eventually allowed them to acquire Tobias Harris.

“When Mikal got that hat and walked across the stage I think he thought, and the 76ers thought, that he was going to be a Philadelphia 76er,” Ryan McDonough said. “That was the plan at the time. But the plan changed.”

Mike Vorkunov/The Athletic

Tags: Mikal Bridges, Philadelphia Sixers, Phoenix Suns, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Daryl Morey: We've Got A Good Foundation, Everyone Has To Do Better

Jun 22, 2021 1:53 PM

Daryl Morey dismissed the narrative that the Philadelphia 76ers have a difficult situation facing them following their elimination in the second round of the playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks.

"A lot of what I'm reading I frankly don't understand," Morey said in an end-of-season virtual news conference Tuesday afternoon. "People [are] saying the Sixers are in a bad situation.

"I don't choose to come here, [coach Doc Rivers] doesn't choose to come here if this is a bad situation. I mean, really 25 or 26 teams in this league would love to be in our situation with an MVP-caliber top player and All-Star, near All-Star, great young players who are signed for the long term, good veterans.

"So, we've got a good foundation. We just have to do better, I have to do better, everyone has to do better."

Morey went out of his way to avoid making any sort of definitive statement either way about the long-term future of Ben Simmons or anyone else currently on Philadelphia's roster.

"We have a very strong group we believe in," Morey said. "None of us can predict the future of what's going to happen in any, in any place. We love what Ben brings, we love what Joel [Embiid] brings, we love what Tobias [Harris] brings; in terms of what's next, we're gonna do what's best for the 76ers to give us the best chance to win the championship with every single player on the roster."

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Tags: Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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76ers Believed To Have Decided Against Trading For Kyle Lowry To Hold Out For Bigger Star

Jun 21, 2021 8:32 AM

The Philadelphia 76ers pursued a trade for Kyle Lowry at the deadline, but were unable to get a deal done with the Toronto Raptors. After the 76ers were eliminated in the second round in seven games, it is difficult to conceive of Lowry not giving the team the edge they needed to advance.

"There is a consensus around the league that [Daryl] Morey resisted because he’s angling for an even greater star," writes Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer over Philadelphia's decision not to trade for Lowry.

O'Connor mentions Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal as stars the 76ers are interested in trying to trade for, along with lesser stars such as CJ McCollum and Zach LaVine.

Any major trade the 76ers assemble almost certainly would be built around Ben Simmons, who likely had his trade value drop during the playoffs.

"Trading [Joel] Embiid... is a nonstarter," writes O'Connor.

Kevin O'Connor/The Ringer

Tags: Kyle Lowry, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Ben Simmons: I Love Being In Philly, I Love This Organization

Jun 21, 2021 8:11 AM

Ben Simmons took blame for the Philadelphia 76ers' loss in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and indicated he prefers to remain with the franchise.

"I ain't shoot well from the line this series," Simmons said. "Offensively, I wasn't there. I didn't do enough for my teammates. ... There's a lot of things that I need to work on."

Simmons shot 15-for-45 on foul shots against the Atlanta Hawks and 34.2 percent from the line throughout the playoffs.

“I love being in Philly,” said Simmons. “I love this organization. The fans are great, great people. I had a bad series. I expect that. It’s Philly.”

Doc Rivers was non-committal when asked if he believes Simmons can be the point guard for a championship team.

“I don’t know the answer to that right now," said Rivers. "I don’t know the answer to that.”

Simmons has four seasons remaining on his five-year, $177 million contract extension

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Tags: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Joel Embiid Fined $35K For Game 6 Altercation, Bruno Fernando Suspended One Game

Jun 20, 2021 12:15 PM

Joel Embiid was fined $35,000 for his Game 6 altercation with John Collins.

The Hawks' Bruno Fernando was suspended one game for leaving the bench in the altercation.

Game 7 takes place at 8 PM ET on Sunday. 

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Bruno Fernando, Joel Embiid, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Fines, NBA Playoffs

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Joel Embiid Says He Wants Refs To Call It 'Both Ways' After Game 6

Jun 19, 2021 12:02 PM

Joel Embiid pointed out what he felt was a difference in officiating following the Philadelphia 76ers' 104-99 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6, especially during a skirmish between him and John Collins.

"I just felt like it wasn't called both ways, especially because of the minimal contact that they get on the point guard, and when it comes to us, we don't get the same thing," Embiid said after the game. "So I just want it called both ways. If you're going to call something like nothing on their point guard, it should be the same way and call the same thing [for] me when I get -- if I get -- touched."

Both Embiid and Collins were called for technical fouls with 4:03 left in the fourth quarter, with Embiid originally called for an offensive foul. Embiid felt that Trae Young should have also been called for a foul on the play for pushing him from behind.

Embiid took four free throws in the game. The Sixers had 23 free throws, while the Hawks finished with 24 free throws.

No Sixers starter took a free throw through the first three quarters.

"I was hacked all night, and I don't think I was on the free throw line until I got to the fourth quarter and all that stuff. So it was questionable, but we got the win. That's all that matters," added Embiid, who finished the game with 22 points and 13 rebounds.


Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Playoffs

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Tobias Harris Says Sixers Displayed 'Grit' After Game 6 Win

Jun 19, 2021 1:21 AM

The Philadelphia Sixers came back to beat the Atlanta Hawks 104-99 in Game 6, forcing a Game 7 on Sunday.

The Sixers were down 12 points early in the game.

“We said there’s really going to be a lot of criticism but we really have to stay focused because the series isn’t over. ... As a group we basically just locked into that," said Tobias Harris after the game, alluding to the Sixers blowing leads in the previous two games.

Harris finished with 24 points, while Seth Curry also added 24 with six three-pointers.

Joel Embiid had 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Nate McMillan felt that his team took "too many quick shots" in the loss.

"We didn’t make them work on defense," said McMillan afterwards. 

ESPN

Tags: Tobias Harris, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Playoffs

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Joel Embiid Becomes Eligible For Four-Year, $191M Supermax Extension With 76ers

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Danny Green Out 2-3 Weeks With Right Calf Strain

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Joel Embiid: Playing With A Torn Meniscus Is Not Easy

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Ben Simmons Delivers On 76ers' Directive To Use 'Pace And Power' On Offense

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Danny Green To Undergo MRI On Calf On Saturday

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Doc Rivers Says Trae Young 'Does A Great Job Of Drawing Fouls'

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

NBA Fines Daryl Morey, 76ers $75,000 Apiece For Tampering On Stephen Curry

RealGM Staff Report

Joel Embiid On Playing With Knee Injury: 'All I Got To Do Is Keep Managing It'

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Joel Embiid Questionable For Sunday's Game 1

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Doc Rivers 'Hopeful' Joel Embiid Will Return During Playoffs

ESPN

Joel Embiid Day-To-Day With Small Meniscus Tear In Right Knee

RealGM Staff Report

Joel Embiid Unlikely To Play Game 5, No Results Yet Known On MRI

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Fan Arrested After Running Onto Court During Sixers-Wizards Game

Brian Windhorst & Ohm Youngmisuk/ESPN

Doc Rivers: Joel Embiid To Get MRI On Tuesday, Status For Game 5 Uncertain

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