Shaquille O'Neal Says Ben Simmons DM'd Him over Criticism amid 76ers Trade Rumors

Ben Simmons apparently didn't take too kindly to criticism from Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal about his holdout from the Philadelphia 76ers.

On his podcast, O'Neal said Simmons sent him a direct message on social media about comments O'Neal made during a recent episode of Inside the NBA.

O'Neal made the comments Jan. 27 on the TNT studio show when comparing Simmons to Joel Embiid (via CBS Sports' Michael Kaskey-Blomain):

"I stay on big guys because I care about them. I want them to play a certain way. I want them to play at a certain level. The difference between [Embiid] and his soft partner [Simmons] is, he can take criticism without being a crybaby, and he still wants to play.

"Me and Charles [Barkley] ... we told [Embiid] to his face what he needs to do. He didn't cry, he didn't say 'I want to get traded,' he didn't complain about mistreatment. And that's the difference. That's why I like and respect him. The other guy, I don't respect him. ...

"Great players get criticized. But the great players also step up to the criticism and perform. So this other guy, I don't respect him. I would get rid of him."

Simmons has been away from the Sixers since head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of a preseason practice Oct. 19. He was subsequently suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Oct. 22 that Simmons told the Sixers he wasn't mentally ready to play up to expectations and needed to take time away to meet with medical professionals.

Per a report Tuesday by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Simmons has been working out at the 76ers' practice facility with his personal trainers to stay ready in the event he gets traded.

"It has been seven months since he asked the Sixers to explore a trade for him and nearly four months since he returned to Philadelphia," Shelburne wrote. "He has not meaningfully participated in a practice or even a film session since. He has just been there: in body but never in spirit."

There have been no signs that the Sixers are close to moving Simmons before the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Per The Athletic's David Aldridge and Josh Robbins, Bradley Beal is among the players for whom Philadelphia would trade Simmons, but there is no indication the Washington Wizards are going to trade the three-time All-Star.

Simmons is under contract through the 2024-25 season. He is owed $113.7 million over the next three years.

Even without Simmons, the 76ers are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 31-20 record. They have won 15 of 19 games since a 98-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 23.