"Fu*k this dude" - Why former teammate intends to be a "a**hole" when he has the opportunity to play against Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons was supposed to be one of the Philadelphia 76ers ' cornerstones. Instead, he has essentially become a persona non grata in Philly after having alienated the organization, its fans, and his former Sixers teammates.

Georges Niang , who was on the squad when Simmons' infamous holdout took place, shared a Simmons story that shows why the vitriol surrounding the former No. 1 pick might be justified.

"I don't want to beat a dead horse with it because I actually feel bad at this point," Niang answered when asked on the "Road Trippin' Show" about who rubs him the wrong way. "The Ben Simmons thing, that pissed me off because guys are trying to make a living, right?

"And I came from Utah. I signed just a little over the minimum, and I'm like, 'Oh, this is perfect. I'm a spot-up shooter. This guy fu*king drives the lane. Everybody collapses. He kicks out. This is going to be great for my career. I signed a two-year deal, and then he was like, 'I'm not playing.' And I'm like, 'What the fu*k?'"

Simmons snubbed Niang

Perhaps the former second-round pick would have been more understanding of Simmons had the embattled point guard been at least a bit more cordial with his teammates. Instead, the three-time All-Star sulked upon his return to the team after his holdout and trade demands.

Niang noted that the organization wanted to establish a welcoming atmosphere for its former star, but Simmons appeared to want none of it.

"He was walking around the facility," the Iowa State University alum added . "You'd be like, 'What's up, man?' because they're like, 'Try to welcome him back.' And he'd be like, (nods). That's when I was like, 'Fu*k this dude. If I get an opportunity to play against this dude, I'm going to just be an a**hole.'

There's etiquette, there's like, 'Don't do dumb sh*t when you're out there.' I was like, 'Out the window.'"

Fortunately, the Cleveland Cavaliers swingman has no intention of crossing any line or hurting the Brooklyn Nets veteran. True enough, Niang once got into Simmons' face when they matched up a couple of seasons ago.

It would be interesting to see what the sharpshooter has in store for his next face-off with his former teammate, although it's unclear when that would be because the 2018 Rookie of the Year has many more missed games than appearances in the past three years. Stephen A. Smith even said that he should be in prison for theft .

Related: Draymond Green says Klay Thompson did Warriors a huge favor by leaving: "He relieved this organization of the financial hardships"

Niang is more valuable than Simmons

Interestingly, Niang has actually turned out to be a more indispensable player. Despite having three fewer All-Star berths, his ability to space the floor and be active on the defensive end of the court has made him a positive asset.

On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets might have no choice but to keep Simmons because no one else apparently wants to take on his baggage, even if he has an expiring contract.

Still, the two-time All-Defensive First-Team selection could be as useful as Niang if he can get his head straight and health in order. Perhaps Simmons will never get back to his old self, so he might be better off emulating his former teammate by transforming into a role player.

Related: "I think Stephen A is an idiot" - Ben Simmons' agent responds to Stephen A. Smith's remarks against the Nets guard