Ex-76ers teammate takes shot at Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons still apparently has some enemies on his former team.

Making an appearance this week on 97.5 The Fanatic’s “The John Kincade Show,” Philadelphia 76ers forward Georges Niang was asked about the differences between last year’s Sixers team and this year’s team. Niang responded with some shade toward Simmons, his ex-Sixers teammate.

“I got a lot to say about that,” said Niang, per NBC Sports Philly. “Well, Ben Simmons kind of handicapped us at the beginning of last year. I mean, I wasn’t gonna say it, but now, you know what I mean?

“When you’re building rosters, talking from a general manager standpoint – I don’t know how much [Simmons] makes, but it’s a max contract,” Niang added. “So you immediately take that off the books, ‘I’m not playing,’ you have to figure it out where other role players have to step up and replace, you know, the passing, dribbling, rebounding, defense.”

Simmons, who was drafted by the 76ers in 2016 and made three All-Star teams with them, indeed held out from the team for the entire first half of last year in the hopes of being traded. It was an ugly saga that turned into a huge distraction for the 76ers (involving numerous fines and even incidents during practice). Simmons eventually was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets last February as part of the James Harden trade.

After going 32-22 (.592) last season before the Simmons trade, the 76ers’ fortunes have improved this season as they enter the weekend 39-19 (.672). If it makes Niang feel better, Simmons’ time as a Net has not been much better either.