Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers say nothing about report that Brett Brown is coaching for his job, Ben Simmons missed game due to partying

The team did not comment on the story, but the Sixers' VP of communications did fire off a reply to the author on Twitter.

Ben Simmons had little to say about a report that said he was out of a March game because he was partying the night before, not sick.
Ben Simmons had little to say about a report that said he was out of a March game because he was partying the night before, not sick.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

The 76ers had little to say about a New York Daily News report that said there was dysfunction in the organization and suggested Brett Brown was coaching for his job.

The story said Sixers GM Elton Brand told team ownership that it needed to consider trading Ben Simmons (ownership shot the idea down). The Sixers, according to the report, denied that the suggestion occurred.

It also said Simmons missed the Sixers’ March 25 game in Orlando because he was out partying the night before. The Sixers had announced Simmons was out with a stomach virus.

Simmons, when asked about the report, didn’t say anything.

“I am not worried about it; are you talking about the regular season?" he said. "We are talking about the playoffs. Unless you want to talk about something else, [go] somewhere else with it. The playoffs right now.”

Brown was asked if he had a comment on the entire story.

“I am aware of it,” Brown said. “I have not read it, and I won’t. I have nothing to say about it.”

The article also addressed incidents that were previously reported in The Inquirer, such as a pregame speech from former NBA player Bruce Bowen in San Antonio -- not Portland as reported -- that upset Joel Embiid.

On Jan. 28, The Inquirer reported, through a source, that the Sixers would consider trading Simmons for a player the caliber of New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis. That came after Davis made a trade demand.

A Sixers spokesperson, when asked by The Inquirer, said there would be no comment.

On Tuesday evening, Dave Sholler, the Sixers’ vice president of communications, replied to the author of the story on Twitter, refuting what was reported.

“This is one of the most irresponsible hack jobs I’ve ever seen in more than a decade of working in sports," Sholler replied. "Factual inaccuracies, made-up stories, and references to convos that never happened. This is a streaming pile of trash. Streaming. Pile.”

The Sixers return to action for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference opening-round series against the Nets on Thursday in Brooklyn. The series is tied at one game apiece.