Joel Embiid responded to a report this week that indicated Ben Simmons feels his career would be in a better place if he didn't play with Embiid.

“I saw (the report),” Embiid said. “I don’t know if it came from him or whatever, but over the past few months stuff has been put out there. And, looking by the reaction of him not being here, I feel like it’s fair to assume that it’s coming from ... whether it’s his agent or his people or whatever. Like I said, it is disappointing, but I feel like over the years the way our team has been built around — like you look at last year, I was the worst three-point shooter of the starting lineup and I shot 38 percent from three. 

“We’ve always had shooters, and I feel like I can really play with anybody and I can make anybody be better on the court. I don’t necessarily need shooters. But I feel like over the years — like you look at when we got Al (Horford), it’s because we needed a stretch five, just to make sure that was for him. And most of my career I’ve had to kind of step out to the three-point line quite a bit — which I don’t mind. I like to be a basketball player; I like to do everything on the basketball court. But I feel like our teams have been built — whether it’s the shooting, the stretch five and all that stuff — I feel like he’s always had it here.”

Embiid continued and spoke of the many three-point shooters still on Philadelphia's roster. 

“It was kind of surprising to see what was said,” Embiid continued. “Even going back to the reason we signed Al. We got rid of Jimmy (Butler), which I still think was a mistake, but he needed the ball in his hands and that’s the decision they made. But, like I said, it is surprising. But I’m really focused on the guys that are here. 

“The situation is weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to all the guys that are out here fighting for their lives. Some guys rely on the team to be successful, to stay in the league and make money somehow. Because, if you’re on a winning team, you’re always going to have a spot in the league, just because you’re on a winning team and you contributed. Obviously we’re a better team with him. We’re not a better team without him, that’s for sure. We are a better team with him but, like I said, it is surprising. But I’m focused on the guys that are here. 

“We’re trying to get better, trying to get on the same agenda. … Every single day we’ve got to attack it, and try to get better every single day. But we are a better team with him. There’s no question about it. We still hope that he changes his mind, but I owe it to these guys to worry about what we have here. That’s the front office’s job to figure out what’s going to happen. That’s not my job; I’m not a GM, I’m not an owner, so that’s none of my business, honestly.”

Simmons is currently holding out but the 76ers hope he eventually reports. 

The San Antonio Spurs have discussed a trade for Ben Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers, but sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN that those talks have not gotten far.

The Spurs lack a foundational star, which hurts them in their efforts to trade for a player of Simmons' caliber.

When the Spurs traded Kawhi Leonard, they turned down several offers that were heavy on future first round picks. San Antonio choice instead to pair LaMarcus Aldridge with DeMar DeRozan. San Antonio also acquired Jakob Poeltl and the pick that became Keldon Johnson.

While Joel Embiid insisted to reporters on Monday that he would like to continue playing with Ben Simmons, the feeling is not mutual.

“It has run its course,” a source told The Athletic of their pairing.

Simmons perceives the way the Philadelphia 76ers have built around Embiid as not being conducive to the way he wants to play.

“Rightfully so,” one source said of building around Embiid. “But it’s time for a change.”

When the 76ers flew to Los Angeles to meet with Simmons in August, they came equipped with reasons for why he should want to stay, which even included a statistically based presentation featuring the success of the Embiid-Simmons pairing. His view and his uneasy feeling about the fit remain unchanged.

The Philadelphia 76ers have confirmed Ben Simmons will not report to camp when it opens on Tuesday.

Daryl Morey said there's still hope Simmons will return to the Sixers at some point. Morey also said that the CBA is "very clearly spelled out" what options are available to teams when a player holds out. Morey added that he won't talk about specifics in terms of fines.

Morey hasn't spoken with the Simmons since their meeting in Los Angeles several weeks ago. Morey has talked with the representatives of Simmons since then.

The 76ers continue to seek a trade of Simmons.

The Philadelphia 76ers are signing Shaq Harrison to a training camp contract. The deal is expected to be non-guaranteed.

The four-veteran started the 2020-21 season with the Utah Jazz before completing it on a Two-Way contract with the Denver Nuggets. Harrison has also played for the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls.

In 173 NBA appearances, the 6'4'' point guard has career averages of 5.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He's known to be a rugged defender.

Harrison is expected to give the Sixers some additional point guard depth throughout camp. Philadelphia is expected to be without Ben Simmons, as he holds out following a trade request in the offseason.

Several players on the Philadelphia 76ers wanted to fly to Los Angeles this week to meet with Ben Simmons with the hopes of persuading him to join the team as training camp is set to begin, but they were informed not to come and that he did not want to meet.

Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle were among the players to travel to Los Angeles. Some of those teammates he considers friends, but he didn't want them to make the trip out of courtesy because he won't change his mind on wanting a trade from the 76ers.

Simmons has mentally checked out as a member of the 76ers.

The 76ers have not received an offer they deem enough to move Simmons and the franchise has wanted him back. Simmons has $147 million over four years remaining on his contract. 

Charles Bassey has agreed to a three-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bassey's deal includes a full guarantee in Year 1 and a partial guarantee in Year 2.

Joel Embiid suffered a torn meniscus during last season's' playoffs and elected not to undergo surgery to repair it.

A league source tells David Aldridge of The Athletic that Embiid is a "full go" and will have a normal preseason work load.

Embiid finished second in MVP voting last season as his candidacy was impacted by missing several weeks due to a left knee injury in March.

Doc Rivers has backtracked from comments he made following the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and hopes to convince Ben Simmons to report to camp.

"Well, I hope we can change that thought," Rivers said on ESPN. "That's part of our job."

Both the 76ers and Simmons have sought a trade this offseason but nothing has materialized. 

"The greatest thing in sports is, you know it's fair, you fail at times and then you get back on the horse and try," Rivers said. "You would be amazed if I told you how many times through a summer when you don't win, which is 29 teams, how often you have to go through something similar to this. Because losing's hard. People internalize it, and you have to deal with it. So we're going to deal with this."

Rivers was credited with saying that he wasn't sure if the Sixers could win a title with Simmons at point guard.

"That's not what I said, actually," Rivers interjected Wednesday when asked about the comment. "This is when narratives ... and this is what makes our jobs hard. I actually said when the guy asked, guys, I'm not answering that stuff right now. I don't even know how to answer that. So what I was talking about was not answering the question. It had nothing to do with Ben."

Rivers was asked if Simmons can play for him and win a championship.

"Yeah, all day. All day. He just does so many things, man," Rivers said, going on to explain how scoring isn't everything.

"The Ben Wallaces of the world. It was great to see him go into the Hall of Fame. And the Dennis Rodmans of the world ... help teams win titles and have Hall of Fame careers without being great scorers," Rivers said. "I do think Ben can score way more than he has scored, but that's not what makes him great. What makes him great is all the other things he does."

Joe Lacob spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle and referenced the Golden State Warriors' potential interest in trading for Ben Simmons.

Lacob referred to Simmons not by name but as the “Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Philadelphia.”

“I think we are always looking at everything to see if we can improve our team. We would always look,” Lacob told Rusty Simmons.

Sources say the 76ers have had an exorbitant asking price for Simmons. The Warriors would likely be required to send either Andrew Wiggins or Draymond Green along with several young players and future picks. 

“In some ways, it doesn’t really fit what we’re doing. He makes a lot of money. And, can he finish games? I don’t know,” said Lacob. “He’s very talented. The problem is: We have Draymond. Draymond and him are very similar in the sense that neither one really shoots and they do a lot of the playmaking. That’s one issue. The salary structure is another.”