Nets guard Ben Simmons has filed a grievance to recoup nearly $20MM in salary withheld from him by the Sixers this season, the ESPN trio of Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne and Bobby Marks report.
The Players Association is backing Simmons in the grievance, which was shared with the Sixers, the league, and the NBPA late this week and will now be arbitrated, Wojnarowski adds in a separate tweet.
After reluctantly reporting to Philadelphia late in training camp, Simmons did not appear in any games, citing mental health issues. He hasn’t suited up for the Nets since he was traded, mainly due to a back injury.
The arbitration decision could set a precedent on how future matters regarding mental health and contracts might be handled.
Simmons has a cap hit of just over $33MM this season, part of the five-year, $177.24MM extension he signed with Philadelphia.
During the season, Sixers officials claimed that its doctors were given limited access to Simmons to diagnose and confirm those mental health issues.
After Simmons was traded, his representatives had several conversations with the Sixers in an effort to avoid arbitration but those talks ended without a resolution, according to ESPN’s sources.
Beginning on November 15, the Sixers withheld $360K for each game Simmons missed (1/91.6th of his overall salary). Simmons received a $16.5MM advance on his salary during the offseason, thus there wasn’t enough money in each paycheck to cover the per-game deductions.
Along with the amount for escrow that was withheld by the NBA, the Sixers deducted nearly $1.3MM of Simmons’ salary from each paycheck. That hasn’t changed since he was dealt. The Nets must deduct salary from Simmons’ pay and forward it to the Sixers, according to ESPN’s sources.
The CBA holds that a grievance must be initiated within 30 days from the date of the occurrence upon which the grievance is based. However, Simmons’ representatives believe the trade did not trigger that 30-day window because it’s been an ongoing issue.
Get that $ my boy!
Go get yours homie!
Hope Sixers give it to him in pennies and whack him over the head with it!!!
Hey, are you Todd Gak?
Here’s your money!
Anything but play basketball
No need to actually play basketball. Just cash checks.
Can i file a grievance against him as a fan… i support him woth uncondition love… he stab a knife into my heart… he is a malinger
what an idiot thinking he gonna get paid without giving full access to his employers.
Could I get paid while not coming to work because I don’t like the people in my office?
Sure, it’s called unemployment…+ the people in your office would probably appreciate it too
I can’t speak to whether or not the people in his office would appreciate it, but unless he’s laid off he probably won’t be able to collect in most states.
None of us are privy to the full situation.
I have a friend that’s had it hard. Despite being bullied in high school he we out, got a degree in computer sciences. He had a great job as a programmer in SanFran making more money than I ever will. Sad thing is he was bullied there as well.
Flash forward, he won’t even leave his house now. He made enough in the four years of work to be a recluse, but sad thing is his money is spent now and he still won’t leave, even when his friends want to meet.
I’ve seen personally how trauma can affect people. I’ve experienced it myself after being robbed by gunpoint. I just feel the important thing as people is to try and understand each other better and lend that hand out for those troubled. I won’t claim to know Simmons or what he has gone through, and that’s my point of this long winded soliloquy. I don’t think any of us know the full story.
There’s always one who says “ I have a Friend” or “I’ve been through this also” even though you have no idea what’s really going on
Do you know what’s going on?
anyone else skip fade’s life story and went right to case’s comment?
Not to add thunder to your already rainy parade here Fade but you’re story can be summed up by the old saying “money can’t buy happiness”. And yet here we are, Ben asking for the money because he was…. right. Ben got to fondle a Jenner for a few months and got moved to a super team. He’ll be okay
To Fade (and your friend)… Enjoy the Final Four.
Carolina and Carolina win it all.
#FriendsOfFade
The situation with your friend is quite unfortunate. However, the issue at hand here is not whether Simmons had mental health issues. The issue is whether he was in breach of his contract by not allowing the Sixers’ team doctor diagnose or treat his issue or allow the doctor he chose to share information about his diagnosis and treatment with the team’s doctor
Nice to see he is focused on this rather than playing for his NEW team
I Got Ben Simmons’ Salary right here!!!
You do?
In this case I think what’s *not* being said is more telling than what is.
If Ben Simmons was truly suffering from a mental health issue of some sort it seems hard to believe that a litany of players, plugged-in commentators, former players, et al wouldn’t be starting some kind of moral crusade in defense of Ben Simmons.
Plus all the people who hate Daryl Morey—what better opportunity to roast this guy than when he’s withholding paychecks from a player suffering from a legitimate health issue?
Yet the fact there’s almost radio silence among the people who would know continues to suggest Simmons’ is perhaps being slightly disingenuous about these issues?
In which case that’s a pretty d**k move, IMO.
I hope they make the millions Simmons wants into cash and then burn it right in front of him
i’d contribute to that fund if i could watch
This is a lose-lose situation for the NBA unless there is some sort of absolute, definitive proof that Simmons was faking all this. If this gets ruled in favor of the Sixers, Simmons (and I’m sure some other players) will spin it as the NBA and its teams not caring for their players. But if this gets ruled in favor of Simmons, it can lead to a slippery slope of players trying to force their way out by sitting out saying they’re not mentally ready to play while not risking their paycheck.
Burden of proof is on the player. I don’t know if he met it. Probably will end in arbitration where he gets some of it back.
Simmons will easily get his money back!
And Morey will get fired soon.
LMAO neither of those are happening.
Simmons will get his money, but I doubt Morey acted alone in withholding his pay.
Feels like a lot of people here are more worried about Ben Simmons’s mental health than their own…
Simmons will be time barred b/c he missed the 30 day window to file a grievance. Simmons loses on procedural grounds, and merits. You can’t invite medical/mental issues and refuse to turn over med docs/evals/treatment.
I hope you’re right because he should not get this money.
The players union is supporting him, which is fine since it’s their job, but they can’t feel good about this one.
I hope the mediator/judge does the right thing and tells Simmons to pound sand.
Not being able to deal with sucking in the playoffs and now no one likes you is now called a mental health issue so everyone has to accept it.
Damn he still on this, man you got your wish you were traded let this ish go you not getting this money back you made a bogus excuse using Mental Health which was false you got caught now you wanna cry wolf & get your money back stop it
Wow. What a pos
I supported the holdout but I don’t think it should be at full salary or even most salary. I would like to know how much he made for 21/22 before I am for the grievance or against it (like it matters).
If he loses the arbitration as to all game fines (between 19-20 mm), he’ll end up making a little over 13 mm for 2021-22. That’s 10 mm more than he would have made without the trade, assuming the Sixers’ fined him for the full 82 games.
Thanks for the numbers.
Sounds like plenty.
Now I wonder if he has lost his PG confidence and will have to play forward out of necessity!
doubling down on the back injury now is why he couldn’t play. your move.
I wish he would take PHI to the cleaners, take them for all their worth… hopefully he will bankrupt them out of the league!
The vitriol of everybody here just laying it on the guy for exercising his constitutional right of the pursuit of happiness!
BTW getting paid for your job is a fundamental human right!
Perhaps Americans could learn about those, right?
Your comments are always the worst. It’s like you have no idea what the topic is. Take Philly to the cleaners because why? He’s the one that didn’t shoot in the playoffs. Or score in numerous playoff 4th quarters. He’s the one that wanted to sit out but not get paid. You need to show up to get paid. So he comes to practice with a phone in his pocket and doesn’t listen. So he got kicked out of practice. Then still wants to get paid so he said his back hurt. Staff then cleared him with no back problems. Show up to get paid. Then next day he claims mental illness because he finds out he can say that and he will get to stay home and get paid, but doesn’t let the staff in on anything. Then it comes out he’s not listening to team or agent. Just wants traded. He acted like a spoiled 4 year old only child with every move he made digging his hole deeper and deeper with every move insulting his team, coach, teammates, FANS, and anyone with a mental Illness. But yah take PHI to the cleaners. SMH. GET A CLUE.
Who’s coaching the Sixers next season?
Yawn …… don’t care
I want to see him play. There still is no explanation on how he hurt his back. Or whatever is wrong with him.
Moreyon is the one who held out for Harden.
If he wins this grievance the arbitration process is broken and the owners need to have an immediate lockout. Contracts cannot be broken without consequence.
What a douche. Keep sitting on the sidelines with your obnoxious chains and bad back. What a clam. If this wins, the expiration of the owners league contract will have a Simmons clause.