People around Ben Simmons prodding him to return to the Sixers

Numerous figures affiliated with Simmons’ representation insist he’ll never dress for the franchise again, but there are people around Simmons who have recently pushed for the All-Star to retake the floor if he’s not dealt, sources said.
Source: Jake Fischer @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
Between now and Thursday’s deadline, the James Harden for Ben Simmons story will zig and zag again. And everyone involved should want this trade to happen. Harden. Simmons. The Sixers. The Nets. Klutch. All of them. theringer.com/nba/2022/2/7/2… – 1:16 PM Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
I can’t keep up with who appears to know what the Nets are thinking. Bill Simmons says the Nets would take Ben Simmons and Seth Curry for James Harden. Isn’t he a Celtics guy? – 1:13 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
The #Sixers are unlikely to trade Ben Simmons before June’s NBA draft despite James Harden chatter, sources say inquirer.com/sixers/76ers-b… via @phillyinquirer – 1:13 PM Chris Kirschner @ChrisKirschner
You all sent in trade proposals for Ben Simmons, CJ McCollum, Marcus Smart, Derrick White and more. Some of them were good! Some of them were bad!
I break down those offers and talk about the interest in a few players
theathletic.com/3114627/2022/0… – 12:17 PM Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
What’s the latest on Ben Simmons, James Harden, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, CJ McCollum, De’Aaron Fox, Brad Beal, John Collins and Eric Gordon?
@Michael Scotto and I discuss all of the latest rumors here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… – 11:53 AM Zach Kram @zachkram
I actually hope Ben Simmons isn’t traded this week. There are another 485 hypothetical trade possibilities I want to explore in the offseason first. – 9:47 AM Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
There have been zero trade discussions between the Sixers and Nets regarding James Harden, sources said. And while there are figures in Brooklyn who are open to a Harden for Ben Simmons swap, that concept won’t be entertained by Nets brass before Thursday: bleacherreport.com/articles/29531… – 7:40 AM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Do noises offstage in the Ben Simmons saga suggest a trade deal as deadline nears? All eyes are on a potential Simmons for James Harden deal. But a league source said that Simmons wouldn’t be moved at least until June’s draft.
inquirer.com/sixers/76ers-b… via @phillyinquirer #Sixers – 6:09 AM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Do noises offstage in Ben Simmons saga suggest a trade deal as deadline nears? inquirer.com/sixers/76ers-b… via @phillyinquirer – 5:28 AM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New podcast with @Bill Simmons and Jackie Mac going deep into James Harden and Ben Simmons, why the Cavs and Pacers made the Caris LeVert deal, what we’re hearing around the NBA, and more. open.spotify.com/episode/0F0h9k… – 1:36 AM Sean Deveney @SeanDeveney
Execs weigh in on the @Los Angeles Lakers heading into the deadline, plus an interesting note from @Steve Bulpett here … The @Philadelphia 76ers asked one team for 4 first-rounders in a Ben Simmons package. More for @HeavySan :
heavy.com/sports/los-ang… – 8:03 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers was asked if he had a discussion with Tyrese Maxey in light of a report that Maxey could be an option to be packaged with Ben Simmons in a trade to the #Nets: “First of all, the one thing that I won’t do is all of the discussion is from a writer…. – 3:30 PM Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins has surfaced in trade talks in recent weeks (including as a possible centerpiece of a Ben Simmons deal).
However, now it appears that Collins won’t be moved prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, per @Marc Stein: basketballnews.com/stories/hawks-… – 1:09 PM

More on this storyline

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said on Jan. 20 that it’s “less likely than likely” that Simmons is moved prior to the deadline. A league source said Sunday that Simmons wouldn’t be moved at least until June’s NBA draft. And Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said Sunday the team wasn’t going to trade Harden. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 7, 2022 The Inquirer confirmed a report that Brooklyn may be open to sending him to the Sixers for a package that includes Simmons. But a source said Sunday that isn’t something that just came about. The source added that Nets general manager Sean Marks and the Sixers haven’t had thorough discussions about a Simmons-for-Harden deal. However, the source noted both sides are going through back channels and third parties to get information. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 7, 2022 Morey and Marks did have a preliminary discussion that included Harden and Simmons a month ago at the urging of others. Those discussions are typically about what teams would want in a trade. Multiple sources said the Sixers also asked if Brooklyn was interested in acquiring Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe to help with a deal as a third team. “The conversation was non-productive,” one of sources said. “It didn’t have any impact whatsoever.” However, the source said the Nets haven’t fully closed the door on trading Harden, regardless of what’s being said publicly. -via The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 7, 2022