The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to focus on the upcoming season, but all anyone can seem to talk about is Ben Simmons.
The former No. 1 overall pick is refusing to report to the team and has made his intentions clear on multiple occasions.
Such actions have consequences, and Simmons will find that out the hard way now that the 76ers are not paying him.
Reporting with @WindhorstESPN and @BobbyMarks42: 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.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) October 1, 2021
If Simmons had just showed up, he would have been paid over $8 million.
Instead, the 76ers are holding the money and will deduct fines from the sum until he shows up.
It is hard to offer any sympathy here given the amount of money and the fact Simmons seems to be the problem here.
Recent Comments On The Team
When a report comes out and a player is not directly quoted, it is hard to tell who is actually saying what.
So when The Athletic dropped an article saying Simmons decided he cannot play alongside Joel Embiid, fans were wondering if he indeed said that.
Well, he must have because he is not reporting to camp and wanted that information out there.
To be clear, Simmons is saying the fact he has to play alongside one of the best players in the NBA is bad for his own personal game.
That is a bold claim and Embiid seems to be fed up.
Joel Embiid on the Ben Simmons situation in Philly: pic.twitter.com/eS04D5iP9d
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 30, 2021
The 76ers could have a core with Embiid and Jimmy Butler, but instead chose Simmons in the past.
Now he wants out and is casting blame in this ugly situation.
What must be confusing Embiid, and everyone here, is how Simmons’ struggles on offense are the fault of others.
He simply refused to shoot and that is on him.
Where It Goes From Here
Simmons may decide to sit out the entire season and give up over $30 million.
This would come two years after signing a max extension in the summer of 2019.
He is under contract through 2025, so both sides need to resolve this situation to let everyone move on.
Trading Simmons is the team’s best option because it eliminates the distraction and brings in some pieces in return.
Letting this linger is good for no one, and the player’s recent decision to not even meet with teammates shows he is not coming back.
The 76ers can just accept the loss and focus on the players who are actually showing up to compete and win.
Still having Embiid around leaves the team in great hands.
NEXT: 3 Things The 76ers Must Ask For In A Ben Simmons Trade