The Sixers have resumed fining Ben Simmons, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the three-time All-Star was docked his $360K game check for Thursday’s contest vs. Detroit.
Sources tell Wojnarowski that the team intends to continue fining Simmons until he cooperates with team doctors on his mental health issues and resumes participating in other “basketball-related obligations.”
The Sixers originally put an advance payment for Simmons into escrow and fined him for missing games, practices, and other obligations during the preseason when he didn’t report to camp. After fining Simmons approximately $2MM for his failure to render services, Philadelphia decided to halt those penalties and remove his money from escrow when the 25-year-old told the club that he wasn’t mentally ready to play.
However, the team has reportedly been frustrated by Simmons’ unwillingness to accept off-court resources from the team or to provide any updates on his work with mental health professionals. According to Wojnarowski, 76ers officials believe they’ve been supportive of Simmons’ stated need for mental health assistance and believe they have no choice but to place his future salary back into escrow and continue fining him due to his refusal to share even basic details of his treatment.
The Sixers will also resume fining Simmons for a failure to participate in activities such as strength training, film study, and shootarounds, sources tell ESPN. Simmons has been present at the team’s facility to do some individual work and to have a back ailment treated, but hasn’t been taking part in any team activities.
Simmons had been set to receive the first of 12 upcoming pay checks starting on November 15, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
There’s a provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that protects players’ salaries in the event they’re unable to render services “if such failure has been caused by the player’s mental disability.” As such, Simmons’ camp will likely fight back against the new fines he’s facing. If the two sides can’t reach an amicable agreement, it’s possible they’ll have to eventually take the matter to an arbitration hearing.
Despite having to deal with the Simmons drama and a handful of health issues, including Joel Embiid battling knee soreness and Tobias Harris testing positive for COVID-19, the 76ers are off to a strong start this season. They have a 7-2 record so far.
$360K game check? Sheesh…
Good. Ben is an employee. He’s signed a contract. If it’s a medical or mental health issue and he wants to collect a check while NOT playing then he needs to allow his EMPLOYERS professional health staff to participate in the process. They don’t need to be the ONLY voice in the room but they must be part of the process or Ben can keep claiming mental health issu6e forever.
100% agree. Ben is not helping in any way to finish this situation and fulfill his desire to be traded.
His EMPLOYERS through him under the bus for the team doing crappy in the playoffs. I would not want to see my EMPLOYERS mental health professionals either because their only goal his to get him back on the court so the mental health professionals can continue to be EMPLOYED themselves. The 76ers act like they did nothing wrong. I say F the EMPLOYERS. He is seeking mental health through the players association and that should be enough. His EMPLOYERS should not crap on a player and then expect a king’s ransom in trade value.
Through is not the past tense of throw. The rest of your take is equally stupid.
Choud, “equally as stupid”. If you want to play grammar police, it works both ways!
@”Stons” Fan: It’s “chound”, not “Choud”. You left out an “n”. And I really hope someone finds something wrong with this post so this chain of corrections can keep going.
Periods and commas are supposed to go inside quotation marks.
I dislike that “,”” rule. I plan to break it incessantly in protest, which legally protects me.
Chound at least use your brain and tell me why. The only thing you added was a grammatical correction.
@Cobi
Your boss criticizing you publicly is not a reason to stop working AND continue to collect a check. Not sure where you think they do that but not on Earth. Secondly, the doctors have a fiduciary responsibility to provide unbiased medical care. I don’t even think they are insisting on the use of ONLY their doctors but at least let them be part of the process. Im assuming that the players union may not be able to divulge certain information. Ben can’t sit on the sidelines and still get paid. not happening.
@Knicks Good bosses do not criticize employees in front of fellow employees let alone the public. They take you aside and do it in private.
@CobiEven
So wrong. Plenty of athletes get ripped in front of teammates. It’s to show that the coach/mngr doesn’t show favoritism. Popovich made a point of getting on Duncan in front of others. In my profession, I’ve been laid into on conference calls with my 3 exec bosses, 7 field teammates, and the Sr VPS of 6 different departments and their assistants. It happens all the time and the degree of getting ripped depends on the professionalism of the record label you worked for. Loud, Bad Boy, Rocafella? Brutal. Warner, Elektra, Sony, Universal?.Bad but no demeaning language. It’s like that in many environments depending on the culture.
So many people taking Ben’s side on this are acting like he has done absolutely nothing wrong himself when the fact is both sides have done plenty of things wrong here. This attitude that the team threw him under the bus has been totally blown out of proportion.
Why shouldn’t a star player be held accountable for such a terrible performance when the team is trying to win a championship?
If LeBron has played just as poorly for his team after winning the #1 seed during the regular season, he would have been scrutinized just as much as Simmons was. Probably a lot more in his case.
The coach said the team can’t win a championship with him. That is more than criticism. As Maya Angelou said, when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time….
Either Doc belives this, which then whats the point of even playing really if you can’t win a championship. Or he threw Mr Simmons under the bus when times were tough.
Simmons then asked for a trade and the organization couldn’t accept the damage that was done and demanded too much.
It may be a mess. But to pin it all on Simmons shows you don’t understand who the victim is here.
@JerBear.4
Rivers’ answer actually was, “I don’t know the answer to that right now.” The media then blew it way out of proportion. As a coach, I believe the saying, “Good players want to know how great they are. Great players want to know what to improve on.” Simmons clearly doesn’t, and hasn’t, have the desire to improve his game and has been throwing significantly smaller middle fingers in the organization’s face for years. The guy hired his brother as a shooting coach instead of working with the team. For anyone that wants to refer to practice videos where he’s draining 3’s, if it’s that easy for him to do, then its definitely is a mental issue preventing him from playing to his potential. He wants to be Magic Johnson, but in all actuality, he’s just a Johnson with no Magic.
Thanks for the exact quote. We can all judge this comment from our own perspective. I understand the player’s delimma as stated above.
Loser
Ben shouldn’t be forced to reveal much detail about a private thing like that, but not even give the basic update is unacceptable. It is also a really scummy move to try to use mental health treatment as a method of protecting game checks if he is disingenuous about it. He is only hurting players in the future who will seek treatment and may now have people question it.
The part where you say “ben shouldn’t be force to reveal private details” isn’t up for debate. The CBA (co-written by Ben’s representatives at the players association) is very clear and says he just reveal private details of his health to team doctors. Ben’s contract with the team co-written by Ben’s representatives at his agency says the same thing. Bring that lame talking point during the next CBA negotiation, but no one on either side (NBA or players association) agrees with you because the teams need to know physical and mental health of their players. It’s a no brainer
Ben is breaking his own contract and also the CBA rules
I guess what I’m referring to is that if he sees a therapist the therapist shouldn’t have to show things like session notes. I highly doubt anything that detailed is in the CBA as required to be handed over. He should though provide updates, say who he is working with, and things like his close he thinks he is to returning.
Oh no.
Simmons needs to decide if he actually wants to play basketball again. The kid obviously has maturity issues, authority issues and confidence issues when it comes to this man’s game.
Man’s game… wow.
Can’t believe the NBAPA is trying to even protect this fool. How would other players feel that Simmons is using mental health to avoid playing while still trying to collect a paycheck. Sixers just want a basic update but Simmons and Klutch want to keep playing games.
Totally hear you…For ONCE just Once Id love to see them leave this dude out in the cold and say “Nah, pass”
See No reason why they have to Rep him
What’s great about this whole thing tho is that Ben will never outrun this when all the nearsightedness wears off. The 76’ers will be fine , the fans of all arenas will give Ben what he deserves the next 10 years
Send him to G league to get some modjo back
Just trade him sizers!!! You’re doing well without him!
Should’ve tried to trade him for OBJ. Now that would be interesting. I have a feeling he can ball.
It’s clear that Doc is the reason for his mental issues. The longer Morey holds onto him, the bigger clown of a GM he looks like in this circus.
Lol the clown team is 7-2 and doing well without Ben and currently has the best record in nba East
@Bill
Ben has been playing in front of large, rowdy crowds since college. now all of a sudden he can’t face a crowd because of River’s comment? Miss me with that.
I know how Doc Rivers is the only coach in NBA history to have 3 different teams blow a 3-1 lead in a playoff series (or just two different teams for that matter). But why do many people want blame him for all of the problems going on with the Sixers? He has had an extremely successful coaching career for over 20 years including winning a championship with the Celtics.
I think between Doc, Simmons, and Morey that the head coach here is the least to blame for whatever problems are happening with Philly. People are always so quick to blame the coach for everything in almost any sport.
Why would anyone want to play for a coach that calls you out in public, let alone what may have been said behind closed doors? It’s a respect thing, and Doc isn’t dishing any of that out to one of his “star” players.
So wait. Doc’s answer after they lost to the Hawks is translated to calling Simmons out? Is the coach supposed to fall on the sword in every post game press conference no matter the outcome? Doc LITERALLY said, “I don’t know the answer to that right now.” This was after a game in which this “superstar” decided to pass the ball two feet away to another player instead of making a wide open basket less than two feet away. Until Simmons improves his FT%, you don’t think teams are gonna use the Hack-a-Ben approach to try to stay in games?
@billbellamy
your mattene suggests you should have a good sense of humor. Ben is soft and can’t take criticism but yet expects to be paid like a star void of imperfections. he’s the joke not Rivers.
You go on and on, on your one direction. Most people are sick of it all.
Nobody on the news side thinks to be clear about the money transfers.
I think the fines are what they are because he is getting paid, or has been. So no pay, no fines. But the rules say both are what is done.
And Simmons is not a forward. He may not even want to compete if he’s not on the ball. He’s like me at a party… Where do I put my hands? Well I am guessing now. He is fading away until he gets the ball back… then he will know where his hands go; things will flow. Tell it to the psych someone, get out of the news.
If anyone is depressed, it’s Simmons.
Morey has his mantra, “four more years”, to comfort him.
Simmons is definitely milking the mental health issues as a last resort to avoid the fines… but why are the sixers handling this so poorly? They aren’t going to get a better offer in a month, that’s just wishful thinking. They’re off to a great start without him and could likely add two very good role players and future assets in draft picks. There’s not a single team that is going to say “hey he hasn’t played all season and how he has mental health issues so yeah, let’s increase our offer!”
The only thing that makes any sense is that maybe Morey knows Washington would accept an offer for Beal based around Simmons if he ever demands a trade out of Washington, and they’re just waiting for that, but at this point that seems extremely unlikely this season.
And shocking, Embiid is hurt again. Dude is so tough and so good but he’s just always hurt.
They would have to basically give him away for nothing at this point. They have no leverage with other teams in a trade. However, Ben is under contract so they do have leverage over him. I would fine him until he starts acting in good faith. He can’t claim mental health and then refuse to prove to the team he’s actually getting help. It’s a slap in the face to players who actually have mental health issues.
The only offer that might not still be there from this off-season would be the Pacers reported offer of Brogdon and the #13 pick before the draft. But I bet the Pacers would gladly do Brogdon and a top 5 or top 10 protected first, and a matching salary if need be for Simmons.
The Wolves would still be willing to send Beasley/McDaniels/Prince and picks, at least until they’re 5-22 instead of 3-4 like they are now. I don’t think Philly should want Russell, but he might even be available in a package as well.
The offers aren’t great, I get that, but they are absolutely only going to get worse. The 76ers are 7-2 without him; why risk making him come back and play and hurting the team for this season? Because Morey is stubborn.
You’ll have less suitors for Simmons as well in about a month when teams like the Kings and Wolves are again out of contention and can’t justify adding Simmons on that salary to a rebuilding team, especially when he’d cost multiple lottery picks.
Morey overplayed his hand, and now he’s trying anything he can to salvage it. What scenario is there where Simmons trade value goes up? I don’t see it at all.
Brogdon cant be traded till at least next offseason. His extension makes him unmovable.
Well said. Still many options are left… but not if you live in a world where the guy sucks and can’t shoot a free throw but you expect a trade for a top rated superstar or the other team salvaging their entire future of the organization… then there is gridlock and indecision….
You’re hot and you’re cold
you’re yes then you’re no
Simmons is as ridiculous as Kyrie Irving at this point.
@chief
the only distinction I would make is that covid came out of nowhere. the ruling about home team players in NY can’t play unless vaccinated wasn’t something nba players have ever had to deal with in any CBA agreement. the fact that Bradley Beal, another unvaccinated player, can come in and play in Brooklyn but Kyrie can’t is equally dumbfounding IF the purpose is to stop the spread of the disease in an indoor facility.
Irving was ridiculous well before the pandemic.
@chief
but not to the level of not playing the game was my point. not defending him but the law made by the NY mayor was unexpected.
Knicks, If everything that fails to stop the spread of covid is dumfounding, then everything is dumfounding. It’s not going away soon or ever… for instance the Bubonic plague is still around.
Your expectations are unreasonable and not promised. Only helping or not helping is available.
Hey I thought rules were supposed to be followed… Simmons yes but Irving no? The surprise level does not matter.
The dude should step away from the game while he focuses on his health. Your health is the most important thing. If it’s causing that much stress/anxiety he should retire and walk away, especially if it’s that bad that he can’t talk to the team about it. And then in a couple of years, come back and play out his contract.
How can Simmons retire then come back and play out his contract in a couple of years? Would the Sixers just put his contract on hold for a while?
#FreeBenSimmons
One must feel terribly sad for PHI fans, I mean their team just sucks this year, their GM is an idjet, their HC is just clueless, Embiid is just awful this year (if he is playing through injury, that is just stupid & makes me lose the respect for him, you give kudos to a player that plays through injury if he delivers the goods, if he is just playing to be a shadow of himself, just don’t, sit out & get fit)
Everybody knows that team DRs are paid by the team to do what the team wants, hence so many stars use their own doctors instead of the locums provided for the teams!
@ElDon
“their team sucks this year….”
7-2 and 1st in the EC says “hi”. Seth Curry starting to make em say “Ben who”?
@KFCF… seriously you come with the 7-2?
Who cares about the W-L’s at this time of the season?
ATL with a 4-5 right now they have a much better chance to make the ECF than PHI… you know many teams can win many games in the RS, but they won’t win in the playoffs, as simple as!
Great example is UTA, they hardly can even dream of getting out of the R1WC, that will be a huge achievement for them, yet they are the top team so far, winning now means nothing, just watch all the good teams are struggling at the moment… BRK & MIL, LAL & DEN… these are the top favorites to be the last 4 standing, PHI are good with Ben, without him there is no way they can make it pass R1EC, make no mistake about it my friend!
@ElDon
YOU made the comment about the team sucking. With a 7-2 record and guys like Curry, Maxey and Korkmaz stepping up they’re doing a great job of winning without Ben.
Maybe they are winning now, when it doesn’t matter, but… they still suck & they will fail expectations at the end of the season, that’s for sure!
Lol. That’s all I’ve got at this point.
Doc is doing a fantastic job and the only thing the Sixers miss from Simmons is his rebounding. Hell maxey is playing 40 minutes,putting up 15 points same assists fewer turnovers more energy decent on defense. The whole team is a team. Let Simmons sit and pay until he actually misses the game enough to love it again.
I don’t understand why so many people here are blaming Doc for all the problems the team’s dealing with right now because he “threw Simmons under the bus”. And they act like everything going wrong with the team is automatically his fault just because he’s the head coach. Right now he seems to be one of the few people there who is actually doing his job well.
I really can’t understand why so many people act like Simmons is the victim here.
And how the team is to blame for poor Ben’s mental anguish that has somehow made it impossible for him to play right now. Is his ego really so fragile that he can’t handle criticism from the coach for a terrible postseason performance that has been characterized as him being thrown under the bus? I would understand that opinion a lot more if Simmons was 19 years old and still in college, but at age 25 shouldn’t he be man enough at this point to stand up for himself and take accountability?
Maybe not. Children today are treated with kid gloves and this is the sad result.
Maybe they should paddle him, that’ll teach him…
Doc and Jo don’t employ Ben. They are coach and peer. He got called out for being no weak and not working on his game.
This is shaded of Kobe vs Dwight. Kobe thought Dwight was a witch and made his life hell. It’s MJ vs Muggsy, bout to make Ben retire.
Boo boo, when you get paid as much as he gets paid to play a game, nothing actually important. He saves no lives he does no good deeds doing his job. He’s an entertainer playing a kids game, and he wants to act like this the fans have every right to give him hell. He’s an entertainer and he’s putting in a bad performance. If he was a singer and put on a dud concert you’d be clamoring for your money back.
Fact is, he is doing anything he can saying anything he can to not get fined. But he’s LeastMode not BeastMode.
And the sad thing is that if he actually came back with a jumper, fans would welcome him back. But we’re on year what 25 of Ben Simmons without a jumper? I can’t remember him taking a shot at LSU. Doubt he ever took a shot in HS. Fans just hope he’d get his ish together and become a complete player because he has potential, but if you’re too much of a wuss… it will never be fulfilled. He’ll be a woulda coulda shoulda.
YAWN YAWN YAWN YAWN YAWN YAWN
What an insightful comment, wouldn’t expect anything less from a garbage Knicks fan.
Just in the new All NBA head case team.
Ben Simmons
Cryree Irving
BRON BRON
Crywai Leonard
Russell Westbrook
Russ is the PG, Kyrie is the SG, Kawhi is the SF, and LeBron is the PF.
Does that mean that Simmons would have to play center in this lineup?
@Yep
Why is LBJ on your list? Seems like he’s more mentally stable than most.
Let us all not forget that Doc himself held out of Clippers’ camp 30 years ago. And yes, he had a signed contract, lol.
And this has what exactly to do with the current situation in Philly?
Say what you want about Doc, but he’s performing like a coach of the year.
What does it have to do? Did you just ask that? There are some clear parallels and its interesting…
Regardless of how it all plays out or how it happened, Philly getting off to a 7-2 start is only going to hurt Simmons’ trade value; the team is winning without him. One of the oddities of sport that a team’s winning record might (at least temporarily) be hurting them…
Maybe Ben and Aaron Rodgers can start a mental health support group for pro athletes that are spoiled and pampered and have lost touch with reality.
Holdouts are bad.
When it’s a player who is already that well paid.
and
When it’s a team refusing to accept market value for a player they clearly don’t like.