The Ben Simmons-Philadelphia 76ers saga has been the highlight (or lowlight, for Sixers fans) of the off-season. Fans, players, and analysts have all chimed in on who's right or wrong in this debacle.
Add Kevin Hart to that list of notables who gave their two cents on the topic. Appearing on the All the Smoke podcast, Hart, a Sixers fan and Philly native, chastised his fanbase about how they've acted during this entire situation. He came to the defense of Simmons, saying:
“Ben Simmons is a f—ing star. Philadelphia, man, we’re a different city. Look, you gotta let players play like they play. Like, he got there by playing how he plays. Now granted, this is a three-shooting time in the NBA. That ain’t Ben! Now because of the media and how they position things, well somehow we forgot about all the good that he did. Wasn’t he an All-Star? Wasn’t he All-Defensive Team?”
Hart, a lifelong Sixers fan, does make a great point about Simmons' talent. Despite all the talk about his lack of three-point shot and occasional passivity, Simmons is still a damn good NBA player. He earned Rookie of the Year honors, multiple All-Star appearance, and All-Defensive Team selections. There's talent there, talent that Hart feels the Sixers would waste if they let him go. It doesn't help that Morey seems to be trying to force a large return for Simmons, further tanking the latter's trade value.
However, the other thing that bugs Sixers fans is Simmons' conduct during this entire saga. For some, they feel like Ben isn't been a true professional amidst all this trade talk. He skipped training camp and the pre-season, and is now feeling the financial ramifications of his actions.
Hart believes in Ben Simmons, that he can come back from this setback. The question is, do the Sixers share the same faith as Hart?