According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Philadelphia Sixers forward Ben Simmons will not report to camp, nor will he play another game for the franchise:
ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons will not report for opening of training camp next week and intends to never play another game for the franchise. Simmons hasn’t spoken to team since a late August meeting when he communicated this message to Sixers officials.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 21, 2021
A holdout from Simmons would be unprecedented from a player making his level of salary. According to Spotrac, any player refusing to report can be fined up to 1/145th of his base salary, which would be $227,613 per day for the former All-Star, but Simmons seems comfortable making that financial sacrifice to force his way out of Philadelphia.
Simmons is clearly aware of sanctions available to organization to fine and suspend him, including withholding of salary. But so far, Simmons appears willing to carry out a plan of forcing his way to a new team. Sixers have yet to find a a trade they’re willing to make for him. https://t.co/vxSrBUWjXw
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 21, 2021
This news should come as no surprise to anyone who’s paid attention to the Simmons-Sixers saga over the last several months. Both star Center Joel Embiid and Head Coach Doc Rivers threw Simmons under the bus after their Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals in June, and those harsh words, and no apologies since, have seemingly severed any loyalty that Simmons might have felt toward the franchise. The message has always been relatively clear that the All-Star had no wish to return to Philadelphia, but this report from his representation is a significant change from a rumor to a fact.
This announcement also works to shift the pressure from the teams hoping to acquire Simmons’ services to the 76ers, as everyone knows they cannot afford to waste even a portion of a healthy, in-prime Joel Embiid season. Getting their new pieces in from a Simmons trade, whatever those end up being, before camp and before the regular season starts, will be key to their success heading into the 2021 campaign.
Of course, Simmons’ inevitably reduced value, at least from the perspective of Morey’s ridiculous demands earlier in the summer, does not necessarily equate to a clearance-level deal. Ben Simmons is still an All-Star caliber guard, and he’s one of the best defenders in the entirety of the NBA. The heavy interest from multiple teams will keep his trade value afloat, to a certain degree, and whichever team ends up with Simmons wearing their jersey will have stepped up and made a significant offer when all is said and done. If the Kings want to get and stay in the mix, they’ll need to move away from the Marvin Bagley’s and Buddy Hield’s of the world, and start looking at assets in the Davion Mitchell and first round picks range. That’s their only path to Monte McNair’s dream of pairing De’Aaron Fox and Ben Simmons.
If this stretches into the season, who gets hurt more by Simmons not playing, Simmons’ pocket book or the 76ers record and chemistry? Basically who flinches first?
I can see the Sixers wanting to play hardball, but it seems like too much of a distraction to let it get into the season where they expect to go deep into the playoffs, it will be the only topic of conversation. I think Morey will accept Brogdon&Warren or whatever the equivalent is. At some point this hurts them more than it hurts Simmons, in my eyes.
What do you think?
Yea if they have sights on finals it would be malpractice to go into camp with this cloud hanging over it. I get the game Morey is playing but at this point he needs to call every interested team and tell them to make their final best offer. Let the teams try to outbid each other, then take the best package. This ridiculous game of chicken is unnecessary at this point.
I agree. Ben can literally afford to sit, but the Philly market, press, fans, etc, will make it a major distraction and would likely turn on Morey quickly for messing things up. He blinks first.
I too think Indy has the pieces to make it happen, but I also think Morey would prefer to send Simmons west. How embarrassing would it be to see a Simmons led Indy team take out a Philly team in the playoffs?
Thats a good point. Indy would still likely have a decent team led by a good coach with Carlisle, Sabonis, Turner, Lavert, and Simmons.
I can see perhaps Morey waiting a few weeks to see if the Kings go 2-9 or Portland stumbles, and then getting Dame or Fox, but I just don’t see either of those things happening. Not for Ben Simmons anyway.
Yeah, that’s a top 4 team in the East, IMO. Don’t underestimate Carlisle with that crew.
I don’t think POR has Dame on the table in Simmons trade, I’m guess CJ and draft compensation instead.
Yep. That’s my guess as well. I think a deal involving Brogdon or McCollum is better than anything the Kings are likely willing to offer.
There will be no Fox and no Dame even if both teams go 0-20.
Morey has painted himself into a corner ! His demands will not be met and if he does not look for a legit deal the 6ers are done !
Ben sits. Ben wins. There is too much pressure of management to stand still- just looks silly. Their flaw though is that they think they are better than they are- they think they are an elite team. Even with him, they are not.
“We are elite, we have to replace and move on”. Flawed.
I would advise, take a deep breath, change expectations and take young guys and future picks. Re-calibrate.
Management flinches. They get into a panic because they think they are better than they are.
Morey painted them into a corner. Joel and Doc should have kept quiet. Simmonds knew for some time what they thought. These were not new sentiments.
I may get blasted here but I think BS is seriously over-valued. He expects to play PG but he can’t shoot and he is a liability at the free throw line.
His value is playing defense on 3 positions, getting the rebound and pushing it and passing it. He is not more of a PG than that Green fella at the duds.
He needs shooters around him, so why trade Buddy for him? He arrives but the team trades the things he needs for success. Why trade a future pick? A team can trade a future pick if it is a projected bad pick or they are one player short. A Kings pick right now is lottery. And Simmonds will not move the needle that much.
I would trade Bagley straight up and that’s it.
Waiting for the blow back.
The duds don’t want him- he and Day-day are redundant and they would have to give up Wiggins to match salaries + a young guy or 2.Although that’s the trade I would like. The duds could start 3 guys who can’t shoot. They could pass the ball for 35 seconds.
Kings need to stay far, far away from this guy. I don’t know how anyone thinks he’d be happy playing power forward for the Kings. And we don’t need him as a playmaker. Can he play great defense? Hell yes, but show me how he even slightly fits on this team, especially when the outside shooting will be worse with Hield gone
He fits because it means Bagley is either on the bench or gone and there is no such thing as too much playmaking. But I agree with your skepticism about him being happy here.
Ultimately he’s an asset on a long term contract. If you can trade for him without giving up Fox or Hali and multiple firsts, you do it and worry about roster mgmt later.
An asset or an anchor? Everyone seems to think it’s not a gamble to take on a $33-million a year contract for the next four years. For a player who has likely peaked, showed himself to be far too limited, played scared, and isn’t likely to accept a move to power forward with grace and dignity.
I would take that bet just to see some defense. He may be the only player in the league who can legitimately guard 1-5. That positional flexibility can make up for a lot of sins with the roster construction.
He has serious trouble with fast quick PG’s Trae loved it when he got him on him. He has trouble with burly centers.
I’ll take that. Honestly, when Trae is playing like he was in that series, he is essentially unguardable, and there aren’t too many burly centers that I am worried about. Maybe Jokic? I think the rest can be played off the court. There is no way they could match Simmons speed on the other end.
he is such an asset now that non one wants him. Don’t trade for a guy who no one wants and call that an asset.
He has peaked at a young age.
You’re worried about fit on a 30 win team with the all time record for missing the playoffs? To the point where you would hard pass on an All Star who’s been in the playoffs every year he’e been in the league? Oh, and he also just so happens to be the best perimeter defender in the league, and the Kings happen to be the worst defensive team in history. But yeah, stay the hell away, whatever you do, Monte.
You want to see a crippling fire sale that could set back a franchise for another decade? Trade for a possibly broken guy on a massive four-year deal that could very well be begging for a trade and sulking by December.
CelibateNapear.
Set the franchise back to what? Where are we that we can actually be set back? It’s not possible to go farther back than we are. We’re already the worst franchise in professional sports. Would we get relegated to artistic knitting or competitive eating?
What would “crippling” look like on a team that hasn’t sniffed a winning season in a decade and a half?
Crippling would be Fox or even Hali + 3 first round picks. For a sulking over-rated power forward who believes he is a PG but he can’t shoot.
Hmm, so Mitchell, Hali, Simmons, Barnes, Holmes would be the Kings crippled? It would instantly be the best defensive Sac team ever, plus an offense built on actual ball movement. Sign me up for season tix, please.
I don’t think Mitchell’s shooting is going to translate right away. Three starters who can’t shoot is a problem. I’m not saying don’t make the trade, but the Mitchell cart is pretty far ahead of the horse at this point.
I think his shooting is better than Fox now, and will get much better.
The Kings have not translated in 15 years.
Not a bad fresh start…..
Then what would happen? The Kings might miss the playoffs? Put up another losing season? ‘Cause I have bad news for you.
agree
Are you arguing that the Kangz are not crippled?
If we could somehow get Jonathan Isaac through a trade I would be just as happy.
Hard to imagine the Magic would be interested in unloading him after waiting this long and being in a rebuild.
Miles Bridges is the guy I want, he doesn’t start but it would still take at least 2 frps to get him.
agree ( for once)
He does not fit and he believes he is a PG- wrong !
Yes on Buddy comment. Buddy has his flaws but he can shoot- what does Ben do well on O- he passes to shooters.
Bagley straight up- best offer.
Be careful what you wish for.
Like the playoffs?
Yeah, I’ll take Ben Simmons disappearing in the second round of the playoffs over what the Kings have got going these days!
Same, and I think folks need to get past the Hawks series with that missed dunk opportunity to instead pass the ball. It’s burned into the memories of folks like the Webber timeout at Michigan. I don’t get how a bad game or two for Simmons negates all the other fantastic stuff he does the rest of the time.
It doesn’t negate it, or not really. It’s the Sixers asking price that’s become unworkable, a point they already know and understand. They’re trying to force this issue into their favor when it won’t work out like so, and the thing is that Simmons is a thin skinned primma donna. He’s also a talented player who does plenty of things that can help you win. Particularly in the regular season. The Hawks series, for all the focus on it, doesn’t change that particular point.
If I’m Indiana, I’m not necessarily giving up Brogdon to get Simmons. Simmons just isn’t that good to give up that much value, and that’s where I think Indy is stuck. Yes Simmons is a better player than Brogdon, but you’re not necessarily getting a dramatic improvement and upgrade there. I’m not really sure Brogdon is the ultimate goal for Simmons either from Philly’s perspective.
I think the two trades that happen are either Malik Beasley, Taurean Prince and Jaden McDaniels plus 2 unprotected firsts or Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley and 2 unprotected firsts. The risk is really the 2024 unprotected first, you’ll probably get a motivated Ben Simmons for at least a year until his swiss cheese head gets in the way of his basketball abilities again.
I think the bigger issue with a Ben Simmons trade is that Philly wants either A) Simmons to take his head out of his crybaby ass and grow up or B) make a trade that really makes them a championship level team. Neither is going to happen. And they aren’t willing to accept that yet.
Unless you think Brogdon is a better asset than draft picks from Minnesota or Sacramento in 2022/24, I stand by what I said: I think the two offers I’ve put out there are the best on the table for Simmons and it leaves Philly in a nearly impossible situation. I think the delay is mostly for a simple reason: The Sixers aren’t ready to give in because they want to see how their team handles the Ben Simmons conversation. And by then, who knows, maybe the offers out there for Ben Simmons get worse. This is a game of chicken, but because Ben Simmons isn’t James Harden it’s not a game of chicken teams are willing to play with the Sixers at this point.
As always, the proof will be in the pudding.
Yep and that adds risk. If you’re a bad team, you probably have to take that risk, but is a risk.
If you’re trying to win this year, the best pieces I’ve seen that also seem attainable are McCollum and Brogdon. Not Barnes. I know nothing (in general), but I don’t think the Kings even get into the conversation even now without either Barnes and Halliburton or Fox being included.
Good take.
I suspect Indy has second thoughts about giving up even Brogden ( a lesser player for sure) for him. It’s a fit issue.
Barnes and Bagley + 2 unprotected picks is a great deal for Philly. They re-calibrate and re-group and get future assets. But bad for the Kings. It makes sense for a team on the verge of success to give up 4 players but not a team that with Simmons minus the pieces would not get to the playoffs.
The Wolves package is less valuable – none of those guys are serious players and Beasly is redundant. They cannot afford to give up so much future.
What did the Suns give up for Chris Paul who is a far better player?
Regarding the idea that Indy may no longer want to part with Brogdan:
I could buy that if the trade offer was made prior to Carlisle’s arrival there. I think Carlisle would love to work with such an all-around talent like Brogdan and has probably made his opinion known to Buchanan. I think the offer was reported a month or so before Carlisle was scooped up.
It’d be fun if Philly sued him for breach of contract, but that may not be possible under the CBA. I am curious about from where the 1/145th number derives, since it’s sixty-three above the number of games.
I just can’t support sending any of the core guys out in order to get Simmons. You’re right, someone will still overpay, but I hope that the team isn’t located in the 916 area code.
Honestly, I can’t convince myself that Simmons can ever be more than a severely limited offensive player. No one’s defense has ever been good enough to make up for passing up open dunks.
You’re fined by the day, not the game. There’s 145 days in a season.
But what if he reports to the team on the off days? 😉
I’ve had all the backtalk I can stand out of you, boyo!
That makes sense, 5 1/2 months of regular season.
What may confuse people is when players get suspended for a game, that’s when they lose an entire game’s pay. But holdout’s are done differently because you are holding out by the day, not missing a game due to misconduct.
But Simmons losing a million or so? He can afford that most likely.
Don’t forget, he gets 50% of his annual salary on 10/1. The 76ers basically give him a war chest to pay fines with.
Has the Kings offense ever been good enough to justify zero defense?
Getting defense with zero offense is about as logical as the Kings have been for a long time.
Who knows?
Simmons for Buddy straight up; one has never seen a shot that he didn’t like; the other has never seen a shot that he did like.
That doesnt work from a CBA perspective Dutchman. You have to add money to a Buddy Hield salary to make it work.
I ‘ll be honest, I cared more about the joke than making the salaries match.
Me too! Now that you mention there was a joke in there!
Most of us are tired of that Cash Considerations MFer anyways.
We we take that MFer for Bagley.
Would be nice to see a defense featuring both Mitchell and Simmons. I hope we can get him and still keep Fox/Halliburton/Mitchell. Is that too much to ask?
Buddy, Bagley and two protected firsts.
Pretty sure the Buddy Bagley and draft picks combo has been offered to every team in the universe. So far the only ones dumb enough to end up with that deal is the Kangz.
Well, at least Kings twitter is a safe and sane place right now!
I’ve always wondered this question about acquiring Simmons. Simmons plays point guard and if the Kings don’t trade Fox, Hali, or Mitchell (particularly Fox) to acquire him where is Simmons going to play? He doesn’t shoot well enough to play 2 or 3 and would be over matched and out of position at the 4 or 5?
Run him at the 4 and play him like Draymond Green. He makes everyone around him better. He has more than enough size to play there.
Draymond can at least keep defenses slightly honest with his shot. Simmons has been exposed. Teams will sag like crazy. Lane will be clogged for Fox.
Green’s TS% last season was .530 while Ben’s was .584. For their career Green is at .531 and Ben is at .579
Ben Simmons career USG%: 21.4%.
Draymond Green career USG%: 15.9%.
Draymond’s always played with at least two, and when Durant was there, three guys who had mid 20’s USG% or better. The Sixers have needed at every turn to have Simmons increase his shooting numbers to be in that mid to higher 20’s USG% range but he has refused to do so.
It’s one reason why Simmons’ value isn’t higher. He continues to show the disinclination to not shoot. In fact I’ll take it a step further: It’s why Simmons’ isn’t getting the James Harden deal that Houston got. Nobody believes Simmons will ever take more shots in the rhythm of an offense than he is right now.
Ben Simmons was scared to death in the NBA playoffs and won’t even try to hoist a shot farther than 3 feet when it matters. In addition, his free throw percentage is just pathetic. Green is fearless.
An exposed Simmons is way better than the exposed Kangz without an all star.
That’s the right answer. But don’t trade all the shooters he needs to be successful and don’t trade the future.
I do believe that he is a thin skinned prima donna and does not want to play the 4.
you haven’t seen him play if you think he would be over matched and out of position for the 4
Couldn’t Simmons and Fox share PG duties? Especially since the Kings try to use Fox off the ball as is anyway? If anything, acquiring Simmons would reduce the burden on Haliburton to run the offense when Fox isn’t on the ball.
Yup, you’d basically play him as you would have played Luka and Fox together. You can never have too many ball handlers on the floor
*Thanks, Vlade.
Exactly. Especially since Fox has been solid on catch-and-shoots.
It would be a nice idea to have rotations staggered so there were always two of Simmons-Fox-Tyrese-Davion on the floor, but I just dont think Buddy/Bagley/multiple FRP’s gets it done. Buddy is a better weapon than their outside shooters, but not by a huge margin, and they need an initiator when Ben leaves. Unless there is a third team willing to give up a point guard, I don’t see how the Kings get Simmons. I can’t see Maxey playing point guard for a team with championship hopes. Maybe there is an asset Cleveland would want to send Rubio to the Sixers.
I don’t see how the Sixers have realistic championship hopes until they add another championship caliber to pair with Embiid. And I don’t see that being Ben Simmons or anything Simmons brings back in trade.
And, of course, that relies on a tent pole that regularly misses large chunks of the season and gets visibly worn down late in games and late in the season. Honestly, I think the 76ers have multiple problems that are being conveniently ignored due to the dramatic gravity of the Simmons issue.
Agreed BHE. I am not sold on Embiid being able to be the best player on a championship team. Both because of his health and his personality.
I agree with this 100%. There are other issues with the Sixers besides Ben Simmons, and with or without him, they are still a pretender and a cut below both the Bucks and Nets IMO.
Having said that, what Doc Rivers said yesterday indicates they are going to try and make Ben Simmons stay and work things out. Unless Ben Simmons really goes scorched earth and tanks their season, which he might. He might not be personally built for that, but staying in Philly might not be the long term play for him either.
I’ll be pretty surprised if we see a Ben Simmons trade happen at this point because if Philly doesn’t like any of their options, and they clearly don’t, and they favor trying to keep Simmons over moving him for assets to get that player they would need, like a Dame, they run the risk of not getting more for him as the season wears on. But that seems like a risk they are willing to take because they are daring Ben Simmons to go scorched earth on them. They don’t think he has the nuts to do so.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the inevitable trade comes. And what that team gives up.
I agree that Mitchell should be available to trade for Simmons. And a first. Not sure about two firsts. I’d even include Bagley and Buddy.
$227K per day? When you toss around $100M contracts it doesn’t seem real and you cheer for the players. Bringing it down to that daily rate is more relatable. I wonder how many players would play for $3M/year? How much cheaper could ticket and concession prices be if owners reduced their income proportionately?
Unfortunately, ticket prices aren’t set based on overhead/margin. They’re set based on demand. If you reduce salaries, that money is just going straight into the owners’ pockets. It won’t mean a thing for the fans’ pocketbooks.
This. The league is more likely to fold up and close down shop than ticket prices get dramatically decreased.
capitalism comrades
going to games is a waste of money when you can watch from the comfort of your home on a big screen with HD sans annoying, drunk fans.
Some of us are the annoying drunk fans thank you very much.
Finally!! A gentleman of taste around here eh? *rings cowbell like a friggin loon*
me ?
I’m perfectly content with staying far away from this locker room cancer.
I get that Webber eventually stayed and this town’s collective basketball perception was frozen in ember 17-20 years ago. But the odds that Simmons finishes his current contract in Sacramento after a trade here are essentially zero. The scorched earth approach to dislodge him from Sacramento in year two will be rough. This won’t be dad’s liking tweets. I’m still fine with trading for him knowing that … but failing to realize how sour and potentially toxic it can become is a mistake.
This is why I think you don’t move Haliburton for Simmons whatsoever. There’s a decent chance Ben tries to whine and play his way out of wherever he ends up next. He’s trying to get out of a franchise that wants him to shoot more…..in the quest to win a NBA title. Pay attention to that, folks.
He’s an asset, if he can be had on a discount you trade for him, period.
And yes I wouldn’t give up Fox or Hali for him.
This is always a risk in Sacramento. But after 3-12 months of rehabilitation, Klutch will 100% be prepared to deliver a scorched earth campaign that will make the Anthony Davis saga look very tame. How that prolonged grind can impact Fox’s willingness to finish out his contract and selling tickets to the remaining casual fans.
It’s the Kings best chance to trade for a major impact player with upside and he’s under contract for a while. Even rehabilitating and flipping him could be a long term win.
But Sacramento is NBA Siberia so the hard feelings fall out between the Kings and Klutch … would be a win for Klutch.
How much to give up requires objective and long term thought. Here, Vivek is gonna Vivek
Ironic- Ben, shoot more! We want to win
No, I can’t. I want to win.
Given the urgency of the situation and the fact that that Philly is a contender looking for an established player in return leads me to believe a Simmons for CJ trade is what transpires.
CJ , Covington and a pick gets it done and both teams improve !
There is no point to that trade if RoCo is in it.
I’m guessing Rich Paul isn’t going through all of this just so his man can get traded to the Sacramento Kings.
Big swing?
comes with jersey sponsor
My offer, after they say no to my first offer that had Bagley in it, is Barnes, Buddy and 2 unprotected first round picks in 22 & 24. It gives them immediate help and future help.
I want to see Mitchell and Simmons on the floor together. I’d play Simmons as a 3/4.
I believe the most likely deal is Sixers, Kings, Warriors where the Dubs get Simmons and we get stuck with Wiggins.
were not even in the top 5 positioning of teams who are likely to land him. I’m interested to see if he gets traded to a contender or a non playoff team. Things are about to get spicy
Fuck all this. Let’s get him. We can still run the offense through him if need be and he instantly turns into our Draymond Green…only better.
Don’t like reading the Simmons or trade stuff because its usually IMO a homerfest
Simmons wont be on the Kings if one of Fox or Haliburton isnt on the Sixers
Hes a high talent and there are 28 other teams that could bid for him
You mean the two worst defenders on a record breaking, astonishingly stupid defensive team don’t have value?
What about the dumbest draft pick in a decade? Cannot get two all stars for that guy?
The guard that cannot dribble but will shoot a three any time the ball is within his reach? Gotta get something nice for him.
Gersson Rosas just got fired in Minnesota. That could change everything as far as Ben Simmons goes.
Ben Simmons is better than D’Aaron Fox! End of story. The Kings are the laughing stock of the league. They have a chance to get a Magic Johnson size point guard guard who rebounds, plays defense, and gets into the paint. I’m amazed at this fascination with Fox. He’s not a great 3 point shooter or free throw shooter. He’s got a nice game but he is not a difference maker. The Kings best all around player is Harrison Barnes. You got two other guards with great potential in Haliburton and Mitchell. Ben Simmons could help this team get into the play-in game at a minimum. The Kings have a chance to get a 3-time All-Star. A pairing of Simmons and Fox won’t work. The only thing I worry about Ben Simmons is his attitude but he will immediately be the best player for the Kings.
Badge Legend