76ers ready to start season without Ben Simmons drama

By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Ben Simmons won’t report to the Philadelphia 76ers when they open training camp on Tuesday. Team president Daryl Morey said there’s still hope Simmons will return to the Sixers at some point. Coach Doc Rivers said no one has defended Simmons more than he has and he will enter camp “with hopes that we do have Ben at some point.” Simmons was the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft and is a three-time All-Star who requested a trade in the offseason. He took the brunt of the blame for the top-seeded Sixers’ second-round exit in last season’s playoffs. He shot 34% from the free-throw line in the postseason. Simmons has $147 million and four years left on his contract. He could be suspended or fined each day he misses camp.