Philadelphia 76ers

Doc Rivers says James Harden will sign a "huge deal" with the 76ers ... telling TMZ Sports he enjoys coaching the star guard and loves having him on the team.

We caught up with the Philadelphia head coach as he was leaving E Baldi in Bev Hills this week ... and he told us he's sure Harden, who the 76ers acquired this past season, has a massive new contract coming his way.

"Huge deal," Rivers said.

Doc added that he's "excited" about coaching JH, explaining, "I love him."

The Miami Heat bounced the Sixers from the NBA playoffs this year in the second round -- a series in which Harden didn't play his best -- which left many to question if the org. should give the 32-year-old a new, lucrative deal.

Seems Doc, though, is convinced that's going to happen.

Harden, meanwhile, has until June 29 to opt into the final year of his contract -- which will pay him $47.4 million next season.

Jimmy Butler is ruthless for this one.

The Miami Heat superstar got the last word in after eliminating the Philadelphia 76ers from the playoffs on Thursday ... straight-up roasting his former team for letting him go and choosing to keep Tobias Harris.

"Tobias Harris over me," Butler yelled as he went to the lockers after dropping 32 points in the Game 6 win in Philly. "Tobias Harris over me?!?"

There were also a few expletives ... although it's unclear what Jimmy Buckets said. Whatever it was, it had the arena and team staffers nearby awkwardly smiling at each other.

Of course, the Sixers traded for Butler in 2018, but shipped him off to the Heat via a sign-and-trade deal the next offseason. Philly eventually signed Tobias to a 5-year, $180 million deal ... with hopes of building around Ben Simmons.

Butler has proven to be a top talent in the league ever since ... including a memorable performance in the 2020 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers -- averaging 26 points, nearly 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

The move still puzzles Sixers MVP candidate, Joel Embiid, to this day -- after the game, he said, "I still don't know how we let him go."

"I wish I could have gone to battle with him still."

Jason Kelce is apparently a man of many talents ... it turns out, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman can both bench press defensive linemen AND sing!!!

The NFL star showed off his huge pipes on Monday night -- belting out the national anthem before the 76ers' game against the Nuggets ... and dude did a great job!!

Kelce stood at center court for the song, rocking a Sixers shirt, and serenaded a capacity crowd with his rendition of the "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The fans in the crowd loved it, cheering on every note -- and check out the video, Kelce sure seemed to feel like he crushed the performance.

As for why the Eagles Pro Bowler was tapped to be the guest singer for the game, it's all because of charity.

Kelce agreed to perform at the Wells Fargo Center if his former teammate, Connor Barwin, raised $100,000 or more for his Make The World Better Foundation by the end of 2021, and once he did, it was singing time for JK.

76ers fans greeted Ben Simmons with boos and trash talk as he took the court before Thursday's game ... marking his first return to Philadelphia since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

Remember, the 25-year-old guard made it clear he wanted out of Philly ... and was willing to lose out on millions of dollars as he refused to suit up for the Sixers this season.

Simmons finally got what he wanted last month ... after the Sixers traded BS, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden.

Simmons returned to Wells Fargo Center -- this time as a visitor -- in black and white gear for Thursday's matchup against the Sixers ... and despite being out with an injury, the fans let him hear it during pre-game shootaround.

In fact, the 3-time All-Star was heckled way before getting to the arena -- he was surrounded by an angry crowd while getting onto the team bus ... with one fan saying, "Ben Simmons, you stink!"

Fans were also booing Simmons outside the Four Season in downtown Philadelphia ... with one fan actually thanking him for the Nets trade.

"Thanks for James, man" one fan yelled.

Two NBA superstars finally got their wish in one trade -- James Harden has been shipped to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons.

The blockbuster deal is currently being finalized, according to Shams Charania ... and will reportedly include Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks heading to Brooklyn.

The trade officially ends Simmons' stand-off with the Sixers -- he hasn't played a minute of basketball this season ... saying he was not mentally prepared to compete.

More recently, Harden reportedly hated his time in BK ... and was hoping to get traded to a new franchise.

It's crushing for Sixers coach Doc Rivers, who told us back in the summer he wanted Simmons back this season.

The move rocks the Eastern Conference -- the Sixers are currently 5th in the standings with a 32-22 record ... and the Nets are sitting in 8th with a 29-25 record.

Carmelo Anthony needed to be restrained from going after fans in Philadelphia on Thursday night ... and it's all because he says some of them called him "boy."

As the L.A. Lakers were down big to the 76ers in the fourth quarter of their game in Philly ... Melo stopped playing and began walking toward a group of Sixers fans that appeared to be talking trash.

At one point, it looked like Anthony was going to enter the crowd and get face-to-face with the men ... but, fortunately, referees grabbed him before he could get to the fans.

Arena security ended up booting the men from the area before it could escalate further ... and when Melo was asked about the incident following the game, he told the L.A. Times that he was called "boy" by the men.

Melo added in his postgame interview that he believed all of the smack talk crossed lines.

"Some things were said -- unacceptable," Anthony said. "I'm cool with fans heckling, fans talking trash, cheering for their team, booing the other team, I'm all for that."

"But when you cross certain lines, as a man, you just, that's what you're going to see. That's what you're going to get, as you saw there."

Anthony continued, "There's just certain things you don't bring to any type of sporting event. There's just certain things you don't say to anybody. If I was outside and I bumped into you and you said those things to me, then it would be a totally different story."

It's unclear if the fans will face further discipline from the 76ers.

Of course, this is far from the first time this season that players have gotten into it with fans ... even Carmelo's own teammate, LeBron James, had hecklers kicked out of their seats earlier this season.

Charles Barkley has some pretty strong words for the Philadelphia 76ers ... telling TMZ Sports it's time they stop being stubborn and trade disgruntled star Ben Simmons already.

We spoke with Charles at LAX ... and asked whether he agreed with Doc Rivers' son, Austin Rivers, who told us he thought Simmons' Sixers career was over.

And it's safe to say Chuck agrees.

"He's never going to play another game in Philly," Barkley said. "The fans won't forgive him."

"They have to make a trade," he added. "You have to move on from a bad relationship. They're not using him and Joel Embiid has been playing great this year, so they're wasting his talents."

Barkley -- who spent 8 seasons with the Sixers -- is familiar with how ruthless Philly fans can be ... recalling times they were hard on him when he played for the org.

"I know those fans very well," Barkley said. "I thought my name was Charles Barkley Son of a Bitch for a long time when I was there."

CB offered some suggestions on how to end the Simmons saga ... saying Philly needs to hop on the phone and call the Boston Celtics, the Houston Rockets, or the Sacramento Kings to help get a deal done.

Speaking of the Kings, Barkley wasn't too fond of SAC trolling Lakers star Russell Westbrook for his shooting slump the other night ... telling us, "The Sacramento Kings should not be making fun of anybody."

Ben Simmons' time in Philadelphia is up ... at least that's what Austin Rivers truly believes, telling TMZ Sports he doesn't see the 3-time All-Star suiting up for the 76ers ever again.

Of course, the Denver Nuggets guard's dad, Doc, has been trying to mend the relationship between Ben and the Sixers org. for months now ... but BS has yet to play a minute of hoops for Philly this season.

And when we asked Austin about the situation, he says he doesn't see Simmons playing for the Sixers ever again.

"No man, probably not. I don’t think so," Rivers answered. "If he hasn’t suited up by now, then I don’t think so."

Austin says his dad and the team have done everything in their power to retain the 25-year-old ... despite Simmons' desire to be traded.

"S***, they tried, bro," he said. "Look how long it’s been. I think they tried to keep him. He wants to go somewhere else obviously."

Rivers ultimately wishes BS well saying ... "I just want the young man to be happy. He’s talented. He’s a great player."

As we previously reported, Doc told us he'd love to have BS back with the Sixers. But so much has transpired since then ... and with neither side budging, it certainly feels like Austin's right.

Meek Mill and Philadelphia 76ers partner Michael Rubin treated 26 kids to the experience of a lifetime ... playing hoops with the youngins before Wednesday night's Sixers vs. Heat game!!

The event was put together by the Reform Alliance -- a criminal justice reform campaign that advocates to change probation and parole laws -- which was founded with Jay-Z, Robert Kraft, and Clara Wu Tsai, among others, in 2019.

Kids at the event received a ton of cool items ... such as custom uniforms, which they got to sport in a star-studded basketball game right on the 76ers home court.

That wasn't all ... the kids also got to watch the team's shootaround, have a Q&A session with Philly's head coach, Doc Rivers, and receive basketballs and gear from Rubin's Fanatics apparel brand.

The VIP list of guests in attendance to support the youngsters included rapper Lil Baby and TikTok stars Charlie and Dixie D'Amelio.

Of course, everyone stayed to watch the game with their families -- the kids took in the NBA action in style as they were treated to some pretty dope courtside seats ... with some getting to watch the game in a suite.

Unfortunately, Miami defeated Philly 101-96 ... but if the kids remember nothing else, it'll be the VIP experience they received compliments of the Philly native and Rubin.

Ben Simmons is NOT persona non grata in the Philadelphia 76ers locker room ... 'cause teammate Tobias Harris says the team will welcome the All-Star back with open arms when he's ready to go.

The 25-year-old -- who demanded a trade earlier this year -- spoke with coach Doc Rivers and teammates Friday morning ... reportedly telling them he's not mentally ready to play.

He also accepted the fact he -- as well as the team -- needs to take responsibility for how things have transpired.

While superstar Joel Embiid previously sounded off against the Simmons/Sixers saga, at least one team leader is backing #25 ... with Harris speaking out and saying the team will "respect his privacy and space during this time."

"When he’s ready, we will embrace our brother with love and handle our business on the court," Harris said. "That's it, that's all."

The Philadelphia Sixers need to trade Ben Simmons ASAP, so says Charles Barkley ... telling TMZ Sports it has to happen now that the All-Star is acting like a complete "jerk" around his team.

Simmons was suspended for the team's season opener on Wednesday after 76ers head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of practice for "detrimental conduct."

We spoke with Barkley the same day of the disciplinary action --- and he tells us that the one-game suspension won't solve the issues.

"They should've suspended him longer," the Hall of Famer says, "he's not going to be better Friday."

"Today is Wednesday, they only suspended him for a day. They should suspend him for longer. Plain and simple."

In fact, Chuck believes the Sixers should ship his ass outta town -- and is contemplating why Simmons even bothered showin' up to the Sixers' facility if he was gonna "be a jerk."

"I'm disappointed. If he wasn't gon' play, he should have never came to training camp," Chuck says.

"You don't come to work and then be a jerk. You don't practice with a cell phone in your pocket!"

Well, that trade might not come anytime soon -- 76ers GM Daryl Morey said this spectacle can last four years unless they get a "difference-maker" type of trade.

Eagles star Jason Kelce clearly ain't pleased with the way Ben Simmons is handling business with the Sixers ... telling reporters Thursday he thinks the NBA star should shut up and "play better."

Simmons has been a problem in Philly for the past few months -- wanting out of the city so badly, he actually got thrown out of practice this week and then suspended by the team.

Kelce, though, says he's got the perfect solution for Simmons to fix all the woes -- and it's simply to just be a better basketball player.

"Everybody can bitch and complain about how tough this city is to play in -- just play better, man," the 33-year-old Eagles O-lineman said. "This city will love you."

Kelce added, "If I go out there and play really good, nobody's going to have any choice but to love me or appreciate me as a player."

Seems Simmons really ain't even down to try that route ... 'cause the point guard was spotted at Sixers practice this week loafing around and appearing to go through drills with his phone in his pocket.

And, with the 25-year-old's star teammate, Joel Embiid, saying he "doesn't care about" Simmons anymore ... it all looks like the guy will be jettisoned soon.

For Kelce -- who's Travis Kelce's big bro, by the way -- he clearly thinks that's a shame ... and perhaps even a cowardly way to bow out of Philadelphia.

As if the Ben Simmons saga couldn't get uglier ... the star hooper was just suspended after getting kicked out of practice by 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.

Simmons will miss the team's first game of the season Wednesday night against the Pelicans.

As we previously reported, 25-year-old Simmons unexpectedly showed up to the Sixers' arena last week, after an off-season filled with trade demands.

But, if you thought everything was cool in Philly ... think again.

Simmons practiced with the team on Monday, but looked miserable -- playing with his phone in his pocket, and walking away while his teammates huddled.

According to Woj, Rivers tossed Simmons out of practice this morning ... and the team slapped him with a 1-game suspension for "detrimental conduct."

Doc met with the media after practice and said, “I thought [Simmons] was a distraction today. I told him, 'You should leave Ben.'”

When asked why he was allowing Simmons to be with the rest of the team, Rivers said it's because he's ultimately a good player who can help the Sixers win games.

Doc may be in a mood to make things work ... but it's clear Joel Embiid, the teams best player, isn't feelin' Simmons right now.

After practice, Embiid told reporters ... “At this point I don’t care about that man, honestly. He does whatever he wants.”

Simmons -- a 3x All-Star -- had an awful postseason last year ... clearly hesitant to shoot the ball, and missing a ton of free throws.

Ben Simmons ... MVP candidate???

Metta Sandiford-Artest thinks so ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believes the Philadelphia 76ers guard (at least for now, that is) ... will be one of the best players in the NBA this season.

The NBA champ had high praises for the disgruntled star when we spoke with him this week ... and despite all the drama surrounding his trade demand, Metta says it will be a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old.

"This kid is going to be an MVP candidate," the former All-Star emphatically expressed. "Just because he’s a superstar doesn’t mean he needs to be a shooter."

Metta even cited players like Gary Payton and Jason Kidd, who didn't necessarily have the best shooter's touch throughout their NBA tenure ... but went on to have Hall of Fame careers.

MSA even goes on to say Ben will hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy when it's all said and done ... and believes there can be a kiss and make-up moment with the Sixers.

"He will be an MVP candidate, and he will be second-team all-NBA, and he will be a champion. Hopefully in Philly with my good brother (and current Sixers GM) Elton Brand. Work it out."

Of course, Simmons is no scrub -- he was third-team All-NBA in 2020 -- but his recent struggles have folks wondering if he's pushing himself to his limit.

Sandiford-Artest offered some advice to Simmons and other players that might find themselves in a similar situation.

"You don’t request trades when you don’t have to, 'cause you don’t want to mess with your legacy," he said. "Stay with one team as long as you can. Build that comfort. Build your legacy."

Ben Simmons' time in Philadelphia appears to be all but over -- the NBA star will reportedly bail on Sixers training camp next week ... and has given the team the cold shoulder for more than a month.

The 25-year-old has been rumored to want out of the City of Brotherly Love this offseason ... and according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons appears to be standing his ground.

Woj also says Simmons is fully prepared to be fined or suspended until he is shipped off to a new team.

If it is, in fact, the last time the guard plays for Philly, his last appearance will leave a bad taste in fans' mouths -- he averaged 9.9 points a game in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Atlanta Hawks this past postseason.

Despite the offensive struggles, NBA/BIG 3 star Joe Johnson told us last week BS' jump shot is NOT broken ... and said it's a confidence issue more than anything.

Joel Embiid does NOT want Ben Simmons shipped out of Philly -- despite the fact the star PG had a horrific postseason and reportedly wants to be traded -- saying the All-Star duo can win a 'chip if they stay together.

"I love playing with Ben. Stats don’t lie. He’s an amazing player and we all didn’t get the job done," Embiid says.

"It’s on me personally. I hope everyone is back cuz we know we’re good enough to win."

Of course, 25-year-old Simmons seriously struggled last season, especially in the playoffs, when the Sixers lost Game 7 at home to the Atlanta Hawks ... with a trip to the Conference Finals on the line.

Simmons averaged a career-low in points (14.3), rebounds (7.2) and assists (6.9) in 2020-2021. He averaged 11.9 points per game in the playoffs. On the other hand, Embiid dropped over 28 points per game during the regular season and playoffs.

Ben reportedly recently told Philly brass he wants out of the City of Brotherly Love ... a plan 27-year-old Embiid ain't with.

That's important because there are rumors Joel and Ben have big beef ... and the fracture is part of the reason the former #1 overall pick wants out.

In fact, USA Today reported the "Simmons-Embiid rift has been escalating" ... and the team is now forced to pick between the players 'cause they can't co-exist together.

But, Embiid is clearly calling BS ... and wants to keep the squad together.

The NBA season starts in only 48 days ... will the Sixers run it back with the same squad -- or unload the 3x All-Star.