The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets are set to face off in a matchup of the NBA’s 2 biggest dramas, as the Sixers’ Ben Simmons and the Nets’ D’Angelo Russell square off.
The 76ers vs Nets game is a big one. It will be a battle between the 2 biggest dramas in the NBA, as the Sixers are trying to make it back to the playoffs and the Nets are trying to get rid of their Brooklyn curse.
The Brooklyn Nets begin their season on the road on Friday night. On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA champions. When they reach Philadelphia in 2021, they’ll face another strong Eastern contender. But this isn’t your typical contest. Both Brooklyn and Philadelphia are dealing with their own ongoing crises. They’ll almost certainly be without important players and previous first-round selections Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons (2011 and 2016, respectively).
The intrigue surrounding the Sixers
Since the team’s stunning second-round defeat to the upstart Hawks last season, the Sixers have battled with former first-round pick Ben Simmons’ desire to be moved. The drama continued for the Phillies throughout the winter. Since Simmons rejoined his team, things have only grown stranger, leading things to spiral out of control. Everyone has been wondering whether Sixers Team President Daryl Morey would comply with Simmons’ request or if he will refuse. Given that he has four years left on his max deal, the Australian-born “guard” opting to hold out (which he is allegedly prepared to do) would be unusual. For “behavior detrimental to the team” during practice, he’s already been banned for the season opener in New Orleans.
The Sixers would love to trade Simmons for Blazers star Damian Lillard, but Dame doesn’t seem eager to leave Portland.
It makes no difference whether the Blazers have a difficult time making the playoffs. It makes no difference whether another celebrity asks for his services.
Damian Lillard has stated his desire to remain in Portland.
@jwquick https://t.co/csebe8LErx pic.twitter.com/DFhN6pgeGv @jwquick https://t.co/csebe8LErx
October 20, 2021 — The Athletic (@TheAthletic)
The NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, has weighed in on the situation, calling it “something you never want to see as a league.”
“As a league, it’s something you never want to see.”
On NBA Today, Adam Silver spoke with @malika andrews on Ben Simmons’ predicament in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/lzFq9F8CjC
October 19, 2021, NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA)
Simmons’ financial situation may also be jeopardized. If this all seems slightly familiar, that’s because it is… at least to some extent.
The story of the Brooklyn Nets
You’re familiar with this one. Kyrie Irving is not immune to COVID-19 and its variations, which implies he is ineligible to play basketball in New York (and San Francisco). Irving would be able to play on the road, but the Nets brass decided that no part-time players would be honored this season. Irving will be sidelined for the rest of the season unless anything changes (either he gets vaccinated, he gets traded, or the team changes their stance).
Irving, like Simmons, is expected to lose a lot of money.
According to @BobbyMarks42, the NBA and the NBPA have agreed to a pay cut of 1/91.6th of a player’s salary for each game that an unvaccinated player misses due to local restrictions in their home market. Kyrie Irving, for example, would lose around $381,000 each game.
October 4, 2021 — Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps)
The club has allegedly removed a max-extension off the table as an additional incentive for Irving to surrender and take the jab. Silver also had something to say about the situation:
“I hope Kyrie gets vaxxed, regardless of how strongly he feels about it, because I’d want to see him play basketball this season, and I’d love to see the Nets have their full complement of guys on the court.”
– Adam SilvervtgD5FUZEw pic.twitter.com
October 18, 2021 — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp)
There are nearly Shakespearean similarities between each series. Each club has a previous first-round pick who is unlikely to play in Friday’s big game between the East’s top two regular-season teams. Neither team knows when (or if) its hero will return. Each team has reached a deadlock with their respective player. The NBA’s position with each club is a huge problem. Isn’t it true that if this were a movie, the characters would be swapped for each other?
The Sixers don’t seem to be interested in trading Ben Simmons for Kyrie Irving. And, according to some smart detective work by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who spoke on Pablo Torre’s ESPN Daily pod, Simmons isn’t likely to offer a solution for Brooklyn in the first place.
This is exactly what she said: https://t.co/pJHhb1ka44
October 19, 2021 — Francis Parker (@franciszomes)
So, throughout the game, we can definitely expect some interesting updates on their individual situations. What could Klutch spill at halftime? Will Irving be the target of an Adrian Wojnarowski bomb at halftime? Because, by the way, there will be a game to watch starring Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Joel Embiid, three of the league’s greatest players. How often do three of the top 10 players in the game hit the court while being treated as afterthoughts? That’s how bizarre these two dramas have become.
This is a matchup between two teams with one of the best records in the NBA. The Nets are coming off a huge win over the 76ers, and they will be looking to keep their momentum going. Reference: nets vs 76ers last game.
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