Report: Ben Simmons Practiced Outside 76ers Facility Last Season Due to Tension

Ben Simmons reportedly spent much of last season working out outside of the Philadelphia 76ers facility because he was "disillusioned with the Sixers staff," according to Jackie MacMullan of ESPN. 

A reported lack of communication between the players on the team, including Simmons and Joel Embiid, led to the poor chemistry on the floor.

Simmons now believes things are already better going into 2020-21 with new head coach Doc Rivers.

"The vibe is so much better," the guard said. "Everybody wants to come to practice. Everybody shows up early. When I see Joel in there working on his game, it makes me want to work that much harder.

"We didn't have that last year. Everybody was going their own way."

The 76ers have one of the most exciting rosters in the NBA with two young stars still entering their prime.

Embiid, 26, is already a three-time All-Star, while Simmons, 24, has two All-Star selections himself. Both can make a significant impact on both ends of the court and could be the building blocks of a championship team.

However, there are question marks about whether they fit well together on the court due to a lack of spacing.

Philadelphia has failed to get out of the second round of the playoffs in any of the last three years while losing in the first round last season (when Simmons was out due to a back injury). Head coach Brett Brown was fired after seven years with the team.

"Kind of a lost season," Simmons said. "It just never felt like we were together as a team."

The team hopes bringing in Rivers will help turn things around, both on and off the court.

The veteran coach has Embiid and Simmons communicating on Zoom calls and will hope the improved chemistry will lead to more success as a team.