Joel Embiid addressed the media following Doc Rivers and Darly Morey during Monday's media day and of course, he was forced to answer an abundance of questions on Ben Simmons, who is holding out.
Embiid did not hold back and did not back down.
"Honestly, I would probably say I'm disappointed," Embiid said when asked what he would say to Simmons if he could speak to him. "Obviously, we haven't won anything. Based on your sources and stuff, I would look at it the way that, I mean look at what we've been able to do. I've got to be better, everybody has to be better. But in the regular season we've been so good and so dominant that we know it's working. So I think it's all about taking the next step and everybody playing up to their potential."
Embiid did not back off of his comments following the Sixers' Game 7 loss where he said the turning point was when Simmons passed on a wide open dunk.
"What did I actually say?" Embiid asked rhetorically. "I don't think I said anything. I was asked a question what was the turning point of the game. I really believe it was the turning point. We know we got to be better. So no, I don't have any regrets because I didn't call out anybody. I just stated the facts. I'm honest, I can't lie. I don't have any regrets because I don't feel like I put anybody in a situation where they should have felt bad...I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. It happens. All I can do is try to play hard, as hard as I can. Honestly, we all just got to grow up."
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Embiid made it clear the Sixers want Simmons back.
"Of course we want him back. He's a big piece in what we have been doing the last few years. The way I look at it is that, we all got to do better. After we lost, I kind of tried to figure out ways of how we can better so we can win something. You just got to have some self awareness. I could have done much better than I did. I turned the ball over a few times, missed a few shots. Tobias could have been better. All of my teammates could have been better.
"I still believe we have a chance to win with him...I guess we just gotta let him be himself."
Embiid also explained that trade rumors are part of the NBA and it's something all players need to deal with.
"I understand being in trade rumors, but that's just part of the business. If Golden State offered Steph and Klay for me, you think the Sixers would say no to that? They gotta say yes!"
