In recent years, the The Philadelphia 76ers The All-Stars have seen plenty of talent come and go. The first to do so was Ben Simmons, who endured a months-long trade saga following the 2021 season.
After requesting a trade, Simmons distanced himself from the Sixers until a move could be finalized. Daryl Morey finally ended things at the trade deadline, making a trade to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
When the Sixers first drafted Simmons, he was an All-NBA caliber player. However, since leaving Philadelphia, he has not been able to reach that caliber again. The former No. 1 overall pick has only played in 15 games this season and has averaged 6.1 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 5.7 assists per game.
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With the new season fast approaching, Simmons appears to have started preparing for the 2025 campaign. He was recently spotted working out with one of his former Sixers teammates, Matisse Thybulle.
Ben Simmons trains with Matisse Thybulle. https://t.co/OAK65mz0Wt pic.twitter.com/EUlTUB1J3a
— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) August 19, 2024
Thybulle was also a first-round selection by the Sixers, with the 20th overall pick in 2019. He quickly established himself as an elite defender, but his offense sometimes limited his ability to play big minutes. Thybulle was named to two All-Defense teams with the Sixers, but they ended up trading him to the Portland Trail Blazers midway through the 2022-23 season.
Unlike Simmons, Thybulle has managed to show some improvement in his new situation. He started his tenure in Portland strong, shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range and averaging 1.7 SPG over 22 games. Last season, the 26-year-old averaged 5.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 1.7 SPG while making 34.6 percent of his three-pointers.
