What Ben Simmons Reportedly Said to Doc Rivers After Trade Revealed

The Ben Simmons Philly drama is finally over.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers spent the majority of the 2020-21 NBA season defending Ben Simmons, constantly pushing back against the idea that his point guard should try and shoot the ball.

ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne reported this week that Simmons and Rivers had a lengthy conversation after the Sixers finally traded their disgruntled three-time All-Star to the Nets in exchange for James Harden.

Here’s what Shelburne has been told about the talk Simmons and Rivers had after their professional relationship officially ended:

“Ben was obviously really excited for this long situation to be over. It’s gonna take him some time to get back on the court, but he did end up having one long conversation with Doc Rivers afterwards, and I think his message – the way it’s been described to me – was, ‘I’m happy this is over, it was never personal’, Ben to Doc. [Ben] always said, ‘I respect the way you were so honest with me about everything.’ When [Ben] says honest, Doc was always saying, ‘You’re under contract, I expect you to play.’ That was his position on it. I think [Doc] never wavered on it, and Ben appreciated that perspective. Doc would say essentially, ‘It is personal, because you’re not playing for me right now.’ That connection was never quite made. But at that point it wasn’t worth revisiting all the history […] Ben’s moving on.”

James Harden and Ben Simmons are about to be introduced by their new teams. ICYMI last Friday, here’s ⁦@wojespn⁩ and I on how the Sixers and Nets finally got the deal done. https://t.co/81WwrGK8xx

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 15, 2022

Hard to imagine it wasn’t a little bit personal.

But I’d bet Rivers and Simmons will still be keeping tabs on each other’s progress as the season goes along.

Because, you know, it’s always at least a little personal.

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