The 76ers are still trying to gauge where Ben Simmons is at mentally while also being supportive, but the star guard/forward is still not ready to play, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Simmons was approached by Sixers chief of basketball operations Daryl Morey “about (Simmons’) return to game action, but Simmons restated that he is not yet mentally ready to play and is continuing to seek professional help,” Charania reported.
Simmons, in fact, appears to still be seeking a trade. The 76ers also remain hopeful of moving him, per reports.
In other words, little progress has been made in terms of Simmons suiting up since the end of last season, when the 76ers and agent Rich Paul first met to discuss Simmons future.
Simmons, 25, is still drawing interest from multiple teams, though reports suggest he won’t be moved for at least another month, as players who signed offseason deals won’t be eligible to be traded until Dec. 15.
Both the Sixers and teams interested in Simmons are likely to see where they stand early in the season before pursuing trades.
Shortly after finally reporting to the Sixers last month, Simmons was thrown out of practice by coach Doc Rivers for refusing to enter a drill, then skipped an individual workout, citing a back issue.
The Cavaliers, Spurs, Pistons, Pacers, Kings, Timberwolves and Raptors were cited last month as some of the teams with a strong interest in exploring a trade for Simmons.
He is set to $33 million this season as part of a five-year, $177.2 million extension signed in 2019.
“Officials from the 76ers have not requested specifics about the discussions Simmons has had with mental health professionals,” RealGM wrote, via Charania, which refuted an earlier ESPN report that claimed Simmons was not sharing the information.
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