Sport: Ben Simmons was 'mentally exhausted' with Sixers

Roundtable: What’s Next For Ben Simmons, Sixers?

Simmons is reportedly willing to hold out during the regular season until he is traded. View the original article to see embedded media.Ben Simmons reportedly won’t attend Sixers training camp next week and doesn’t intend to play for the franchise ever again. What should Philadelphia do next? Where will Simmons be playing on opening night? Our staff weighs in.Which team would be the best fit for Ben Simmons?Chris Mannix: Portland. This is easy. The Sixers want Lillard, but they should settle for McCollum, a high scoring guard who would complement Embiid and play well off of Tyrese Maxey.

Anyway, Ben Simmons‘ agent, Rich Paul, told the 76ers early in the offseason the star wanted to be traded. Keith Pompey of The Inquirer: “The Sixers asked why Simmons wanted out, and Paul informed them that the point guard was mentally exhausted. The source believes they didn’t pay attention to Simmons’ state of mind or feelings about being in Philly because of the four years remaining on his contract.”

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Source: Dan Feldman @ NBC Sports

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk

Report: Ben Simmons felt mentally exhausted, underappreciated with 76ers nba.nbcsports.com/2021/10/04/rep… – 12:34 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski

Rival teams believe Sixers reconciliation with Ben Simmons an attempt to gain trade leverage

S

“You can’t have the player show up if he’s not all in.”

As Ben Simmons and Sixers square off, a look inside what it’s like when a star and team divorce.

Talking to players and execs who have been down this road before, with ⁦@Kelly Iko⁩

theathletic.com/2850579/2021/1… – 8:05 AM Gina Mizell @ginamizell

Shout out to the Canadian customs agent who, upon learning why I am in the fine city of Toronto, asked, “Been writing a lot of articles about Ben Simmons?”

(I’ve missed you, Canada) – 4:04 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor

As I wrote a few weeks ago, & said on the recent podcast, as long as Ben Simmons is available, #Cavs will be interested in adding that level of talent. The asking price is high. That matters. And whether Cavs can make the best offer, one that Philly would accept, is a question. – 11:04 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin

No 'untouchable' Cavs players in potential Ben Simmons deal?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have emerged as a dark horse candidate to swoop in and steal Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers. © Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Over the course of the past few weeks, they have quietly outpaced early frontrunners for Simmons’ services like the Golden State Warriors, who are now officially out of the hunt. The Sixers have obviously made their asking price for Simmons known.

Obviously, things are gonna be different for Philadelphia now with Ben Simmons out of the picture. Doc Rivers explains just how different things have been without Simmons in training camp thus far. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/10/02/doc… via @SixersWire #NBA – 7:01 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers

Ben Simmons not concerned about potential Sixer fines

However, sources have said

Ben Simmons vs. the #Sixers: An inside look at a messy #NBA divorce inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer #PhilaUnite – 2:19 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly

#NBA column on how Ben Simmons’ impasse with the #76ers will be resolved (for subscribers), plus columns on Tobias Harris’ extra motivation, the #Phillies stumbling again in September and more: bit.ly/3vUkJbp pic.twitter.com/6gj6pjq4UQ – 12:00 PM

© Provided by HoopsHype Emiliano Carchia @Sportando

Raptors and Spurs among 6 NBA teams interested in Ben Simmons sportando.basketball/en/raptors-and… – 11:01 AM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers

No traction in Spurs-Sixers conversations about Ben Simmons

THE SPURS TALKED wi

Ben Simmons vs. the #Sixers: An inside look at a messy NBA divorce inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 6:13 AM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers

Daryl Morey hopes for reconciliation with Ben Simmons

Chris Mannix: Mo

Ben Simmons vs. the #Sixers: An inside look at a messy #NBA divorce inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 5:03 AM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly

#Sixers column: A look at how the Ben Simmons situation could end, along with the likelihood of each scenario (for subscribers): bit.ly/3kVZFiD #NBA #76ers pic.twitter.com/iueD2CMxz4 – 11:00 PM

© Provided by HoopsHype Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly

#Sixers column: What will happen with Ben Simmons and when (for subscribers)? bit.ly/3kVZFiD #NBA pic.twitter.com/9gJKIs8UvA – 7:30 PM

© Provided by HoopsHype Kurt Helin @basketballtalk

Could Pacers be dark horse in Ben Simmons trade sweepstakes? nba.nbcsports.com/2021/10/01/cou… – 6:59 PM Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1

I’m betting Ben Simmons isn’t vaccinated; he definitely wouldn’t take the shot. – 5:31 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA

New Mismatch with @Chris Vernon on the Ben Simmons situation, training camp storylines, teams we wanna watch in preseason, water bottles, San Diego, Squid Game through three episodes and other excellent Korean TV/film. open.spotify.com/episode/5kHtzk… – 5:06 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin

Ben Simmons only reporting to 76ers with short-term intentions?

Shams Charania:

This Ben Simmons situation is so, so tiring #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/10/01/ben… via @SixersWire – 4:31 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps

New ESPN story with @Brian Windhorst and @Bobby Marks: The latest developments in the Ben Simmons saga – including the $8.25 million owed to him today being placed into an escrow account, with future fines to be taken from it – and what comes next.

espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 3:51 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA

76ers won’t pay Ben Simmons $8.25 million that was due on Oct. 1, as stalemate between the two sides drags on

cbssports.com/nba/news/76ers… – 3:51 PM The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA

As Ben Simmons holds out for a trade, the 76ers are not paying him the $8.25M he was due today, per @Shams Charania. pic.twitter.com/AM4hLkFRQh – 3:09 PM

© Provided by HoopsHype Doug Smith @SmithRaps

No one ever thought the Sixers actually would pay Ben Simmons $8.25 million today, did they? – 3:03 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps

Reporting with @Brian Windhorst and @Bobby Marks: Sources confirm the 76ers have not paid Ben Simmons the $8.2 million he was owed today. The money has been put in an escrow account, & any fines accrued by him for not showing up will be deducted from that amount moving forward. – 3:01 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk

Report: 76ers not paying Ben Simmons the $8,250,984 he’s due today nba.nbcsports.com/2021/10/01/rep… – 2:59 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

Ben Simmons thrown out of practice, suspended for Sixers' season-opener

Point guard Ben Simmons still hasn't been traded, but he won't suit up with his teammates in New Orleans. © Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons According to multiple reports, Simmons has been suspended for one game. Simmons has been suspended by the 76ers for their season opener in New Orleans on Wednesday. https://t.co/7EwmorroUi— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2021 The 76ers say Ben Simmons has been suspended for one game for “detrimental conduct” to the team. Simmons will not play the 76ers’ season opener at New Orleans Wednesday night.

Sources: The 76ers are not paying Ben Simmons his $8.25 million payment due today as the three-time All-Star awaits a trade. Simmons still is not showing up to Philadelphia and has understood the ramifications of his holdout. – 2:56 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick

Source confirms @Jake Fischer‘s report that Sixers are withholding the 25% of Ben Simmons’ 2021-22 salary that’s due today. – 2:55 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA

I think Rich Paul and Ben Simmons might have flown a little too close to the sun. There are plenty of ways to maintain plausible deniability on performing your contract and get what you want, e.g. Butler, Harden. But this is just too overt a breach, makes it too easy for the team – 2:41 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine

Weekend dime-dropping time, friends …

Early reviews of the new Wilson basketball, Day 5 of Ben Simmons’ holdout in Philly and much more you won’t read anywhere else … all via my latest This Week In Basketball column: marcstein.substack.com/p/new-balls-pl… – 2:30 PM Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer

The Sixers will indeed not pay Ben Simmons the 25% of his salary due today, according to league sources. And there are now growing whispers that Simmons could respond by actually reporting to Philadelphia, albeit maintaining that he is injured: bleacherreport.com/articles/29489… – 2:21 PM

More on this storyline

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey went down that path recently when he cited Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ reported unhappiness in Green Bay. That squabble was a dominant storyline all summer only to see Rodgers eventually suit up and play well this season. Morey’s stance makes some sense, especially with Simmons having four years left on his deal, and sources around the league maintain that if there is one NBA executive who has the stomach to endure the outside noise and circus that can come with a prolonged standoff, it is Morey. -via The Athletic / October 4, 2021 The 76ers are doing everything they can to maximize their championship window while Embiid is in his prime. Now sources connected to those Rockets days and that short-lived Timberwolves era wonder how ugly it will get in Philadelphia. Sources say that Simmons has no intention of showing up. The Sixers, at least for now, aren’t giving in. Will Simmons be willing to show up and make things as frontal and uncomfortable as Butler and Harden were willing to do? -via The Athletic / October 4, 2021 Harden also said he hasn’t focused much on Ben Simmons’ situation with the 76ers, which bears obvious parallels with his own drama in Houston last season before forcing a deal to the Nets. “I stay out of it. That’s not my situation. Mine was totally different. But hey, I’m here in Brooklyn,” Harden said. “It was a little uncomfortable for me just because I don’t like a lot of attention, especially negative or draining energy.“I like to be in a good place. I like to smile and have people around me smiling and good vibes. So it was kind of a little uncomfortable for me. But I had to go through it and on the other side I’m happy to where I am now. Hopefully everybody forgot about it. Hopefully everybody moved on and everybody is great.” -via New York Post / October 4, 2021

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Ben Simmons was 'mentally exhausted' with Sixers