Things seem to be progressing when it comes to the standoff between the Philadelphia 76ers and NBA All-Star Ben Simmons. The two sides have seemingly been at a stalemate for weeks as Simmons requested a trade from the team, but the 76ers were waiting things out for a better deal.
Philadelphia had a sky-high asking price for Simmons which teams were unwilling to meet. But, Simmons remained away from the organization as he waited to see which team he would be traded to.
Now, it sounds like Simmons may be reporting to the team after all. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Philadelphia officials and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul have been progressing in talks to bring Simmons back to the team soon.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons Is “Mentally Exhausted” By Philadelphia 76ers Amid Trade Talk
Wojnarowski adds that the Philadelphia 76ers will continue canvassing the league for trades, but the likelihood of him reporting has increased in recent days.
Just because Simmons is reporting does not mean that he will be suiting up for the 76ers in games any time soon. He has been away from the team for a while, so he probably needs to get up to speed conditioning-wise.
Also, this could very well be happening so that Simmons receives his money. The Philadelphia 76ers were well within their rights to fine him for skipping training camp, preseason and regular-season games had it gotten to that point. They were withholding some of his salary already and it likely got a point that Simmons wanted to get paid.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons Is “Mentally Exhausted” By Philadelphia 76ers Amid Trade Talk
If he reports, he will receive his payments, but he doesn’t have to play. He could remain sidelined, saying that he is injured as he awaits a deal to be made.
At this point, trading him would still likely be the best course of action for both sides. Ben Simmons has made his stance very clear. His return will come with plenty of awkwardness, as both sides have reportedly said some damning things.
