A tradition unlike any other. Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is posting pictures of himself in the gym on social media.

It’s that time of year again. The NBA offseason is officially underway with the Denver Nuggets holding a 3-1 series lead over the Miami Heat in the finals. NBA Free Agency will officially start on June 30th at 6PM. Videos of players working out and playing pickup basketball games in the gym will soon flood social media, but no one, and I mean no one, does it better than Ben Simmons.

Like clockwork, Simmons is posting offseason videos of him working out and when July and August roll around we’ll almost certainly have videos of him back in the gym taking jump shots and throwing down ridiculous dunks against trainers and other non-NBA players. 

Ben Simmons “In The Lab” per Bleacher Report

Oh and obviously this Picture was Photoshopped

Regardless, of the pictures being posted by Simmons, the fact remains that none of the videos, jump shots, or dunks ever translate into a game situation when the regular season finally returns. 

Simmons, as we all know, missed the entire NBA season two years ago and last season, he returned to only play 42 games while looking like a lost puppy on the basketball court.

He averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game last season with the Brooklyn Nets. 

Fun Fact: When he was with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game over four seasons. 

I’ll be honest, unlike most Sixers’ fans, I never really went heavy on disliking Ben Simmons. In fact, I was one of the last remaining fans holding out hope that he would return to the team during his long, annoying, hold out. I know that he basically gave up on the Sixers after four seasons of failing to hold himself accountable with his work ethic and progression as a basketball player. That’s undeniable.

However, the Sixers were a better team with Simmons and he had his best four years here playing with Joel Embiid.

Argue with your couch. That is 100% true and people for whatever reason, deny that simple fact.

The Sixers had their best years playing with Simmons. They clinched the No. 1 seed in the East with Simmons on the team and if you really think about it, the Sixers have had the same exact success that they have without Simmons in the playoffs by getting knocked out in the second round regardless of who’s on the team. 

I still wish that Ben Simmons and the Sixers’ organization remained patient over the last 4-5 years. We never really got to witness what this team was supposed to look like with a starting lineup that featured a healthy Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.

Add Tyrese Maxey to the starting five with Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid and you have one of the most intriguing lineups the Sixers could have put together over the past decade.

Put your feelings aside and think about it. Intriguing right? I definitely think so.

Instead, we’re left with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Tobias Harris has one year left on his massive contract that’s preventing the Sixers from signing another big name NBA Player and James Harden didn’t deliver in the playoffs and is now “torn” between staying in Philly or packing his bags for Houston. 

Again, it’s important to note that when you’re thinking about the lineup above, the Philadelphia 76ers still haven’t made it out of the second round of the playoffs. This basketball team is basically stuck in purgatory and we shipped Fultz out of town before he really found his footing while Simmons left because he came up short in the playoffs, just like this entire organization has done over the past six years. 

Regardless, it’s good to see Simmons get healthy again. You can talk shit to me and criticize me for believing that but he still is the biggest “what if” in Philadelphia sports history.

As for what he’s able to do on the basketball court when he returns next season, if history repeats itself, you already know what that will look like, unfortunately. 

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