Earlier this week Ben Simmons confirmed what everyone had largely been suspecting for the last couple of months: he has no intention of playing another game for the Philadelphia 76ers.
This move was not surprising.
Simmons had been suggesting for a while now that he was ready to go to extreme lengths to force a trade. Even if it meant things get ugly, he was ready to do whatever it took to get a deal done.
Unfortunately, it is increasingly looking like there is no trade to be made right now. And if nothing gets done, Simmons could draw a fine of up to $227,000 for every single missed game. Once he misses 20 total, that number is bumped up to $322,000 per outing.
Simmons’ payment schedule poses another interesting dilemma. He is owed a massive payment in October. Should he boycott all team affairs, will the organization actually pay him?
Naturally, given the amount of money on the line, many have taken to wondering what a face-saving solution for Simmons can be in all this.
One interesting offering came by way of Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice.
“One detail I left out from this was the suggestion from a team source that firing Rich Paul (however unlikely) would be one way for Ben to try to rectify what some view as a self-created problem,” he wrote.
“He could just say, ‘my agent talked me into this stupid fucking strategy,'” Neubeck relayed.
Paul has been in the headlines a lot in recent weeks. Many of his critics would love nothing more than to see him get his comeuppance for all the power he has been wielding throughout the NBA in recent years.
Now that’s a wedding dress. https://t.co/lTPUx6ziGr
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 20, 2021
Will it happen in this particular scenario? Time will tell.
There is currently one team very much in the hunt for Simmons. If a deal gets done, everyone can move on happily like nothing ever happened. If it doesn’t, however – all hell may break loose.
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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.
