The Ben Simmons-Philadelphia saga has taken yet another turn for the worse, with the Australian kicked out of practice and suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team”.
Simmons had seemed set to play for the 76ers after ending his holdout by making a surprise return to Philadelphia, but the latest incident now puts his future with the team firmly in doubt.
READ MORE: Teammates’ terse response to Simmons’ 76ers return
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the drama began when the 25-year-old refused to participate in a defensive drill when asked to do so by 76ers coach Doc Rivers.
“Doc Rivers asked Ben Simmons to join a defensive drill today,” Charania tweeted.
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1450506494127054854
“Simmons refused. Rivers asked again. Simmons said no again. Rivers then told Simmons he should go home, and Simmons dropped the ball and left.”
“I thought he was a distraction today,” Rivers told ESPN regarding Simmons’ actions.
“I didn’t think he wanted to do what everyone else was doing.
“I’m going to give Ben every chance to be part of the team … as a coach I have to protect the team first.”
The incident also seemed to frustrate Simmons’ teammates, with All-Star centre Joel Embiid not mincing his words about the disgruntled Aussie’s conduct.
“At this point, I don’t care about that man,” Embiid said.
“He does whatever he wants. That’s not my job, that’s [the front office’s] job. I’m only focused on trying to make the team better, win some games, play hard every night, try to lead the guys we have here, and I’m sure they feel the same way.
“Our chemistry has been happening the last few months. So like I said, I don’t really care.
“I don’t care. That’s his problem. I’m only focused on what we’ve been doing. As a team, we’re going to be fine.”
“At the end of the day, our job is not to babysit somebody.
“We get paid for on the court, go out and play hard, win some games, that’s what we get paid for. We don’t get paid to come out here and try to babysit somebody. That’s not our job, and I’m sure my teammates feel that way.”
Shortly after being kicked out of practice, the 76ers slapped Simmons with a $1.4 million fine for being absent for four of Philadelphia’s pre-season games.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons has also been hit with numerous team fines for missed practices, on-court workouts and meetings, with the Aussie not earning any money since returning to Philadelphia on October 11.
Simmons’ practice bust-up resulted in widespread reaction across the NBA landscape, with former Celtics champion Paul Pierce also chiming in.
https://twitter.com/paulpierce34/status/1450495995393896459https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1450503953469296643https://twitter.com/BarstoolBigCat/status/1450504595545985035
The 76ers’ suspension comes just a day after footage from practice appeared to show Simmons practicing with his phone in his pocket, before it was reported to be a folded up sweatshirt.
Multiple reports surrounding the developing saga in Philadelphia have not painted the Australian All-Star in the greatest light either.
According to the Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Simmons is yet to apologise to his teammates despite returning to town almost a week ago, with players “at a loss” with the situation.
https://twitter.com/TaylorRooks/status/1450518827003826177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1450518827003826177%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-27727552262051431409.ampproject.net%2F2110011758000%2Fframe.htmlhttps://twitter.com/TaylorRooks/status/1450519037390123008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1450519037390123008%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-27727552262051431409.ampproject.net%2F2110011758000%2Fframe.html
A separate report from Philadelphia insider Jason Dumas stated that the situation with Simmons was “getting wilder by the day”.
“Nobody can control him or talk to him,” a Sixers source told Dumas.
“He’s emotionally all over the place and acts like a victim. He’s still a kid mentally and it’s evident.”
A now Simmons-less Philadelphia will open its 2021-22 season against the New Orleans Pelicans at 11am AEDT on Thursday.