The Philadelphia 76ers made a long-term commitment this week to star Ben Simmons with a max deal, and the team’s championship window appears to be wide open following the acquisition of Al Horford in free agency. According to former Sixers star Charles Barkley, the Sixers have the potential to be the favorites in the Eastern Conference – but only if Simmons and Joel Embiid make some serious improvements this summer.
During an appearance on ESPN on Tuesday, Barkley said that he hopes there is someone within the 76ers organization who is brave enough to tell Joel Embiid to get in shape, and to tell Ben Simmons that he needs to become a shooter. Barkley recalled the message he received from legendary center Moses Malone upon arriving to the NBA, which changed Barkley’s career forever.
“It’s going to come down to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. At some point, them two young players, who are both terrific young players. I want to repeat that. Two terrific young players.
But Joel Embiid has got to get his fat butt in shape, and Ben Simmons has got to work on his game.
When I got to Philadelphia in 1984, the most important person in my life, basketball-wise, said to me ‘you fat and you lazy.’ And I said ‘what do you mean?’
Moses Malone said ‘you fat and you lazy.’ He made me lose 50 pounds, and the rest is history. I wonder, in Philadelphia, who has the courage and the chutzpa to tell Joel Embiid ‘yo man, you’ve got to get in shape.’ I wonder if they have that person on the team, or the person who has to tell Ben Simmons ‘yo man, we just gave you $170 million dollars. Please go work on your jump shot.'”
