76ers fines Ben Simmons for skipping a six-game road trip, per report

We have another update on the long story between Philadelphia 76ers and protect the All-Star Ben Simmons. The Sixers have fined Simmons for skipping the team’s six-game road trip – which begins Tuesday night against Utah Jazz – according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Most recently, the two sides had a dispute over Simmons’ availability. He has told the entire team that he does not feel mentally ready and has sought help from mental health professionals in conjunction with the players’ union. However, the Sixers want him to consult a mental health professional appointed by the team, and argues that he has not given details about his treatment. Simmons has finally decided Meet the experts said after pressure from the organization.

Simmons agent Rich Paul recently criticized the Sixers for their handling of the situation.

“I really believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity has shed light on this issue – it’s very unnecessary and has added to Ben’s mental health problems,” Paul said. speak. “Either you help Ben, or come out and say he’s lying. Which is that?

“In this case, we had to ask Ben to help and not put financial problems before mental health,” Paul continued. “As an agent, I understand the contractual obligations and I am solely responsible for this business. But if someone tells you something, we cannot turn a blind eye in today’s world. “

In an attempt to force trading, Simmons held a holdout during the early part of the training camp. As a result, the team withheld $8.25 million, which he was due to be paid on October 1 under the terms of his contract, which was pre-signed this year. They then fined him for missing the team’s first two pre-season games.

Later, Simmons reluctantly returns to Philadelphia in what is quite clearly a financially motivated decision. After clearing the health and safety regulations, he trained with the team but was almost immediately fired for refusing to participate in a practice. A few days after being sent home for practice was when he told the team that he was not mentally fit to compete.

A clause in the federation’s collective bargaining agreement protects players’ wages for failure to provide services “if the failure is due to the player’s mental disability.” As a result, the team stopped penalizing Simmons for lack of exercises and games. But due to a dispute over Simmons’ handling, the team resumed monetary penalties on November 5.

The most recent fine for skipping a trip shows that the two sides are a long way from any kind of working relationship. Simmons didn’t want to play for the team, and the Sixers didn’t want to trade him for less than they thought he deserved. As such, this stalemate is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.