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NBA Week: Simmons situation simply sad as Aussie star faces $44m in lost earnings while career stuck in purgatory

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Expert
3rd February, 2022
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Everything about the Ben Simmons situation is sad and it’s got to a point where you wonder whether the Australian star will ever be able to rebuild his career.

The NBA trade deadline is a week away and the more time ticks by, the less likely it appears that Simmons will get his wish and be dealt by Philadelphia to another club so he can potentially play again this season.

ESPN senior reporter Ramona Shelburne published an in-depth feature on the controversial stand-off earlier this week which went into detail about the bizarre situation in which Simmons works out away from the rest of the team, keeping himself in physical shape but repeatedly telling 76ers officials that he’s not mentally prepared to suit up for them.

It’s been seven months since he first requested a trade in the wake of last season’s playoff meltdown against Atlanta and his stance has cost him $AU26.7 million in lost earnings – he will cough up another $16.9m if he doesn’t play again this season to leave him in the ballpark of $44m out of pocket.

However, it is believed his management is confident of recouping a large chunk of the financial sanctions the Sixers have handed down through arbitration once the matter is finally settled.

Sixers GM Daryl Morey is playing the long game, claiming he could possibly wait years before accepting an offer for Simmons’ contract that he believes would get his franchise closer to a championship.

He repeated his stonewalling on a recent Philadelphia radio interview but whether he is merely maintaining this narrative to drive up offers for Simmons or he is genuinely going to retain a star on his roster who won’t play ball will be revealed by next Friday AEDT.

Simmons still has three more years after this season on his contract, worth $158m and the former Boomers representative has said little publicly about his situation, not wanting to add to the circus it has become.

Sensitivity is needed from all parties, including fans and the media, as he has not clarified whether being “not mentally ready” means he’s just peeved with the team after he was blamed for their playoff exit for passing up a crucial shot in game seven against the Hawks or whether he has mental health problems which hopefully won’t but could be an ongoing issue.

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At 25, he’s still got plenty of time to rebuild his career and his camp has made it known that he doesn’t want to wear a Sixers uniform again, likely in light of coach Doc Rivers and fellow All Star Joel Embiid questioning his effort and potential to be a successful player in media interviews last post-season.

One of the many unfortunate parts of it all is that Philly could do with him right now.

A playmaker who is an elite passer and can defend pretty much every position on the floor would suit the Sixers to a tee despite the rise of young point guard Tyrese Maxey, who has made the most of the extra minutes Simmons has created.

They’ve done extremely well to recover from a slow start to rise into third spot in the Eastern Conference, winning seven of their last 10 to be 31-20, just a couple of games back from first-placed Chicago.

All the while in the background, the Simmons saga has been a mess, it continues to be so and will only get worse if he’s not traded.

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Struggling teams in rebuilding mode appear to be his best bet of an out – they can absorb his huge contract and potentially send back the necessary trade assets that will finally get Morey to seal a deal.

Sacramento, Portland, Detroit, Indiana, Minnesota and perhaps this season’s big disappointments, Atlanta, loom as the most likely trade partners but this is the NBA – anything can happen, particularly if it becomes a three or even four-team deal with picks, swaps and contracts going all over the place.

Whatever happens, something needs to happen. Everyone from within the 76ers inner sanctum to the No.25 bootleg Philadelphia singlet sellers in Bali just want a resolution.

Weekend must-watch

Saturday – Hawks @ Raptors: 11.30am AEDT

Atlanta have rebounded after their early-season struggles to be 24-26 and have Toronto (26-23) in their sights as they look to force their way into the Eastern Conference playoff equation.

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Sunday – Heat @ Hornets: 11am AEDT

Kyle Lowry is returning after a personal absence, meaning Miami will have their point guard plus Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler in action together for the first time in more than two months since late November against the crowd-pleasing Charlotte side orchestrated by LaMelo Ball.

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