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The Sixers Are Calling up the Guy Who Broke Ben Simmons’ Foot
By Jim Adair
Published:
With Jahlil Okafor feeling sore and Richaun Holmes as the Sixers’ only healthy center – remember when we had too many? – the Sixers are signing Delaware 87er Shawn Long to a 10-day contract.
Shawn Long, averaging 20.2 points and 11.1 boards in 39 games with 87ers this season, appears headed to big club.
— Bob Cooney (@BobCooney76) March 6, 2017
To bring Long up, the Sixers had to petition the NBA and get approved for a hardship exception for a 16th roster spot. In order to be granted the spot, the Sixers had to have “four players who are sick or injured and have missed at least three regular season games, and will continue to be unable to play.” The lucky four are Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Jerryd Bayless, and potential Never-Sixer Tiago Splitter.
Speaking of Simmons, that Shawn Long sure sounds familiar. Let’s check the Philly.com archives:
Simmons suffered the injury when he landed on Shawn Long’s foot. He heard something pop and his foot started swelling later on. The Sixers thought he had originally rolled his ankle. Jones fractures are often mistaken for an ankle sprain and an avulsion or Zone 1 fracture. That also takes six to eight weeks to heal.
Some gambling addict could have made millions betting that Shawn Long would make his Sixers debut before Ben Simmons would.
Long is a 6-foot-9 center (love those) who is currently putting up 20.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in the defensively deficient D-League.
When he's not writing about sports here or ranting about them on Twitter, Jim is probably watching X-Files on Netflix or drinking a beer somewhere. Jim has nothing against hockey, it's just not his style. He once met Duce Staley at a Sixers game.