The Australian is thinking of going to training camp after deserting it the first two weeks of the season. But it’s not a surrender
It is not finished. It is far from being. Even if Ben Simmons were indeed to return to Philadelphia within the week and show up at the Sixers rally, a scenario his agent Rich Paul is discussing with the City of Brotherly Love franchise. It’s not over yet because, even if he does show up, Simmons still has no plans to play for Doc Rivers and return to Wells Fargo Center. And how could he, after the last two months of separation at home?
the situation
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Simmons first asked Philadelphia to be sold in June after a sensational flop in the last playoffs. The Sixers treated him with several teams before and after the draft, but they always saw him as an All Star, a phenomenon, a franchise man under contract for another 4 years and 146.6 million. And they’ve always asked for a lot, like when to sell him to Golden State in return, they asked Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, the two Warriors Lottery picks in the 2021 Draft and two future picks in the first round. An offer not to be refused, in short, which never made it to Daryl Morey’s desk. Simmons last spoke to management in August, reiterating that he didn’t want to hear from Philadelphia and the Sixers again. Ahead of media day on September 27, Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid courted him, but when the Aussie failed to show up at training camp the tone changed. “I think it’s disrespectful,” said the Cameroonian.
punishments
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Simmons is under contract and can’t just refuse to play. Philadelphia on October 1 did not pay him $ 8.25 million out of the 33 he is on pay for in 2021-2022, 25% of the total owed to him by the agreements on October 1 (another 25% is paid on July 1., The remaining $ 16.5 million is paid twice a month during the season): the money has been “frozen” in a bank account, from which the Sixers have started to deduct the fines they impose on Simmons for his absence. Progressive penalties for every missed training session, 360 thousand dollars for every game lost in preseason: Tonight the Australian will lose the third, breaking over the million dollars deducted in penalties, will likely miss a fourth on October 15, in closing of the preseason. Paul, the Sixers agent, would ask the players association again if Simmons can get this money back somehow, but he was again told it was not recoverable, well that there are different degrees of judgment the Australian can turn to as to whether this is really the case.
the return
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Simmons is also considering running for Philadelphia for economic reasons. But it wouldn’t be to stay. His house on the outskirts of town is officially for sale, and his desire remains to get away from it all. That’s what Paul is talking about with the Philadelphia property: A Smooth Comeback, where Simmons shows up and trains but doesn’t play, much like what John Wall does with Houston. Pending the sale, a team ready to meet Philadelphia’s demands, which remain high as management still views Simmons as a potential franchisee (after all he’s still 25 years old and has time to grow). Minnesota, Indiana, Cleveland, Detroit, Toronto and San Antonio are the teams keeping an open channel with Philadelphia to figure out how the situation is going, but none of them are ready to fade and Morey reiterated at all. people involved that every transaction for Simmons begins. with a player who keeps Philadelphia competitive for the title, as he thought he could be with the Australian. So while Simmons really does show up in Philadelphia, the story isn’t over. To be continued.
