Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers have been at an impasse since the end of last season.
The 25-year-old refuses to play another game for Philly regardless of how much money it costs him; the front office is unwilling to deal him for anything less than the stated asking price.
Hence the standstill to this point.
Despite the fact that Simmons made it clear before the year began that he was prepared to sit out as long as it took to get his way, some are still stunned by his resolve in the face of millions of dollars being left on the table.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, neither Simmons nor his team are shook by the amount of money being lost due to this extended stalemate.
“We don’t give a f*** about the money,” a source close to Simmons said.
“That’s not what this is. It’s hard for people to understand. But if you believe in what you’re doing, and that this is not the right situation for you, and you’re trying to get to a better place, the money doesn’t matter. Obviously, it’s a financial hit. But you adjust.”
The fact that this mess has carried on this long is incredible. One team has gotten so tired of all the nonsense that it has officially taken itself out of the running for Simmons’ services, despite having legitimate interest in him. That’s how grating this process has been. And they likely won’t be the last organization to take that sort of firm stand.
By all accounts, Philly has a new plan when it comes to handling Simmons. Time will tell if they’ll fare better with this strategy than their prior one. Simmons, meanwhile, has two squads he’d prefer to land with, but nobody cares what he wants at this juncture. In fact, him wanting to go somewhere might make the Sixers extra resistant to the move just to spite him.
With the NBA Trade Deadline on the horizon, all parties involved don’t feel any closer to a resolution now than any point prior.
Yikes. https://t.co/hyy5RthY5q
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 1, 2022
For better or worse, everyone is biting down on their mouthpiece and pushing through the pain.
How will this mess ultimately get sorted? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
