The Ben Simmons trade rumblings have gone on overdrive in the past week. The Philadelphia 76ers star has reportedly made his trade demands crystal clear, with the expectation that he won't attend Sixers training camp.

While it remains to be seen how things shake out in the coming weeks, there seems to be good odds that Simmons won't be wearing a Sixers uniform once the season begins.

That reality doesn't sit well with Hall of Famer and Sixers icon Charles Barkley. The TNT analyst laid into Ben Simmons for what he called a ‘total B.S.' reaction to what he considers relatively simple asks of him from the Sixers organization and its fan base. Barkley didn't hold back in criticizing Ben Simmons in his latest appearance on The Mike Missanelli Show.

“So let me get this straight. We liked you enough to give you $200 million. The only thing we ask is you is be a good basketball player. We're just saying ‘shoot the ball' and he's mad and wants to leave town? This is total B.S.”

Barkley revealed that he was recently at the annual Sixers dinner, which invites players and past members of the organization alike for a yearly get-together. He detailed the exact message he'd tell Ben Simmons should he get the chance to talk to him.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
76ers Joel Embiid on the bench from game one or game two of playoff series vs. New York Knicks with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart smiling or laughing.

Drew Maresca ·

76ers' Joel Embiid in front of a picture of Embiid at the postgame podium in sunglasses

Sam DiGiovanni ·

76ers' Joel Embiid and Knicks' Mitchell Robinson in front of the NBA playoffs logo

Sam DiGiovanni ·

“We had a couple of GMs there. I said hey, ‘I will call Ben Simmons'. If you wanna be traded, that's fine. We're not giving you away. We're not going to trade you to where you want to be traded.  We're not taking 25 cents on the dollar. I've heard all these fools talking about who got leverage. No, we got leverage cause we have to pay you. If we don't get the deal we want, you're going to be playing right here in Philadelphia.”

“The only thing we asked you to do is shoot the damn basketball. And now you're mad cause we're telling you, ‘you gotta shoot the basketball'. I'm not having that.”

Charles Barkley clearly doesn't have much sympathy for the Sixers star as he tries to force his way out of Philadelphia sooner rather than later. The Ben Simmons situation gets more and more interesting with the season quickly approaching.