Charles Barkley rips Ben Simmons and Sixers for current situation: 'It's a joke'

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough situation when it comes to their disgruntled star, Ben Simmons. The 25-year old had not reported to training camp as he looks to force a trade out of the organization with four years left on his deal.

Simmons rejoined the team Sunday and he had been practicing, but the situation took another turn Tuesday when he was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Simmons was kicked out of practice for not being engaged, a person familiar with the decision told USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation. Simmons will miss Wednesday's opener at the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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Sixers legend Charles Barkley, who spent the first eight years of his career with the organization, gave his take on the situation on TNT, blaming both Simmons and the franchise for what has transpired:

"It's a joke, it's stupid and silly," Barkley said. "First of all, it's everybody's fault. Ben Simmons deserves number one to blame because when people ask you to be a better basketball player, and they're paying you $35-40 million, that's a very fair thing. The Sixers deserve some blame because they already let this guy not improve and get one coach fired. So these are some blame for that. They threw Brett Brown under the bus, and the third thing is Doc Rivers, last year we had him, 'Oh, you guys want me to take Ben Simmons out the game?' Yeah we do. If he just gonna stand around and not shoot the basketball, yes we do. So there's plenty of blame to go around, but the number one blame goes with Ben Simmons. Kenny, Shaq, your coach, your mom and dad, you should want to be a better basketball player, because that's your profession, that's your job, your coach is important. Your mom and dad's important, but I wanted to be a great basketball player for myself first and foremost."

“I thought he was a distraction,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers told reporters after practice. “I didn’t think he wanted to do what everyone else was doing. It was early. It wasn’t a big deal. I just told him he should leave then, and we went on with practice.”