The NBA season is underway, but arguably the biggest talking point is still the future of Australian superstar Ben Simmons.
Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers bowed out during last season’s playoffs, Simmons, who was heavily criticised for his side’s unsuccessful series against the Atlanta Hawks, has since been at the centre of an ugly trade saga.
While it’s likely his days as a 76er are numbered, when Simmons will be traded is a mystery with the organisation nowhere near a deal with another team, giving the three-time NBA All-Star no choice but to stay where he is in Philadelphia.
Simmons, the 2016 No.1 draft pick, still has four years left on his contract.
He signed a five-year contract in 2019, worth just over $230 million dollars. The 211-centimetre playmaker is owed $44 million for this season.
Timeline of Simmons’ exile from Philadelphia:
December 18, 2020: 76ers respond to Ben Simmons-James Harden trade talk
Simmons unexpectedly finds his name in trade talks.
Newly appointed 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who has arrived in Philadelphia from Houston, denies multiple reports that Simmons has been made available in a blockbuster NBA trade for James Harden.
Harden, a former league MVP, had been pushing for a trade out of Houston for several weeks.
The 2020-21 NBA season is four days away from commencing. Despite Morey’s denial, the trade is seen as one that could benefit both sides according to many experts.
Morey’s close relationship with Harden is also seen as a driving force behind the rumours.
December 25, 2020: Simmons responds to the Harden trade talk
“Nah [the rumours don’t affect me],” Simmons said.
“I come in every day, take it one day at a time, ready to work. I’m with my teammates every day I wake up; every time I got a Sixers uniform on, I’m representing the Sixers.”
“I know things are always gonna be said in the media with rumorus and things like that, but my goal is to come in every day, get better, and help the team that I’m on win championship.”
January 14, 2021: Harden joins the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team mega-trade.
Simmons will remain as a 76er, for now.
June 17, 2021 : Philadelphia’s 2-1 lead against Atlanta is gone, Simmons is blamed.
Atlanta goes up 3-2 in Game 5 of the NBA’s eastern conference semi-finals following a three-point win in Philadelphia’s home arena.
Simmons, a career 59 per cent shooter from the free-throw line, is heavily criticised for the loss after missing 10 free throws, going 4-14 from the line as part of Atlanta’s ‘Hack-A-Ben’ strategy.
The strategy is simple: Deliberately foul a poor free shooter, hoping he misses his free throws before regaining possession.
“I have no idea [why my shooting dropped off],” Simmons said after the loss. “I have to get back. But I gotta get it back, that’s on me.”
Coach Rivers adds: “We just got to keep him (Simmons) working on them and that’s what he’s doing… he’s putting in the work, that’s all you can ask him to do right now, the mental stuff is hard to get rid of this easy. We got to keep supporting him.”
June 21, 2021: Atlanta wins the series 4-3 as fans go nuclear on Simmons over one play.
Philadelphia, a team with championship aspirations, is knocked out of the playoffs after losing 103-96 in Game 7.
Simmons notches an impressive 13 assists but attempts only four shots for the entire game, hitting just two.
The Australian is crucified after the match for one costly moment.
Trailing by two points with 3:30 on the clock in the final quarter, Simmons spins past Hawks defender Danilo Gallinari and gets under the basket for what looks to be an easy lay-up or dunk, but instead lays it off to fellow Australian Matisse Thybulle, who is fouled.
Thybulle earns two free throws, but can’t convert on both and Atlanta remains in front.
“I just assumed Gallo (Danilo Gallinari) was coming over my back,” Simmons said of the play. “Then John Collins moved out, so I thought Matisse had a wide-open dunk.”
Simmons also expresses his love for the team and city.
“I love being in Philly,” said Simmons. “I love this organisation. The fans are great, great people. I had a bad series. I expect that. It’s Philly.”
June 21 continued: 76ers coach, Joel Embiid criticise Simmons over the play
Responding to that play after the game, Embiid, the 2020-21 MVP runner-up, said it was the turning point in the match.
“I will be honest. I thought the turning point was, you know, when we, I don’t know how to say it, but I thought the turning point was just we had an open shot and we made one free throw and we missed the other and they came down and scored,” Embiid said.
Meanwhile, coach Rivers refuses to back Simmons in when asked if the Australian can be the point guard of a championship team in Philadelphia.
“I don’t know the answer to that right now. I don’t know the answer to that,” Rivers said.
June 22, 2021 : Rivers changes tune, backs Simmons in to improve
A day after the 76ers were knocked out of the playoffs, Rivers claims he and Simmons are both committed to helping the Australian improve his shooting and take the next leap in his game.
“I know exactly what we want to do,” Rivers said. “I’m positive in Ben. I’m very bullish in Ben still, but there is work, and Ben will be willing to do it.”
“What Ben just went through, I can’t imagine that because he has so much greatness around him in all the things that he does, and there are areas that he can fix quickly in my opinion or get better, and that will take him to another level.”
June 24, 2021 : Simmons trade rumours officially begin, again
An ESPN report reveals Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, met with 76ers general manager Elton Brand as well as president of basketball operations Morey, to get a better gauge of his client’s future at the franchise.
The report states that Paul, who also represents LeBron James, got in touch with the 76ers to see whether it would make sense to work together to find a trade before the start of next season.
With the August free agency period approaching, no trade request is made with both parties.
June 28, 2021 : Simmons pulls out of the Tokyo Olympics
Despite being named in the extended squad and having expressed a desire to represent the Boomers at the Olympics on many occasions, Simmons pulls out.
Australian coach Brian Goorjian confirms Simmons will stay put in America to work on his game following Philadelphia’s messy exit from the playoffs.
“We understand and support his decision and he has made it clear that this is something that he wants to be a part of in the future,” Goorjian said.
“The best thing for everybody right now is for him to go on and develop that skill package and improve in a couple of areas for his next season in the NBA, but the Boomers are always here for him.”
July 14, 2021 : First reports appear of 76ers putting Simmons on the trade table
The biggest sign that Simmons could leave the 76ers has arrived.
Highly respected NBA insider Shams Charania claims the 76ers president of basketball operations, Morey, has put the Australian on the trade table.
Charania claims Simmons’ rumoured inclusion in trade packages for James Harden as well his treatment in the aftermath of Philadelphia’s playoff exit is part of the reason behind the trade.
The report states that teams interested in Simmons were told by the 76ers that Philadelphia “want an All-Star-calibre player” in return.
July 29, 2021: Simmons’ relationship with the 76ers ‘seems to be over’
Ben Simmons’ time in Philadelphia now appears numbered and it’s now a fight among top NBA journalists to break the story.
Multiple reports have mentioned teams such as Miami Heat, Washington Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors all expressing an interest in Simmons, and holding talks with Philadelphia surrounding a trade.
August 6, 2021: 76ers can’t reach Simmons
The situation has now gotten so messy that reports are claiming Simmons is ignoring phone calls from the team in an effort to expedite a move.
In particular, it’s said that Embiid, who has reached out to Simmons on several occasions, can’t make contact with the Australian.
September 1, 2021: Simmons informs 76ers he’s out, won’t attend pre-season
It’s reported that Simmons has fronted up to the 76ers following a meeting between both parties.
But it’s rumoured he’s communicated to the franchise that as part of his desire to be traded, he won’t show up to pre-season training camp starting in October.
September 7, 2021: Simmons willing to pay fines to force Sixers trade
Simmons is so serious about not showing up to pre-season duties that reports are suggesting he will willingly pay $1.3m in fines as part of the consequences that arise for not honouring his commitments.
The 211-centimetre playmaker is owed $44 million for the 2021-22 season.
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September 28, 2021: Simmons keeps his promise, doesn’t show up to training.
Simmons is absent from the opening day of the Philadelphia 76ers’ training camp.
He also failed to show up to the club’s media day, which was a day earlier.
October 1st, 2021: 76ers hold back $11 million dollar payment owed to Simmons
A payment of $11 million dollars, 25 per cent of Simmons’ contract for this season has been reportedly been placed into an escrow account.
Simmons must return to training and participate on game-day to slowly earn it back.
He will also be fined just over $300,000 for every game he misses going forward.
October 12, 2021: Simmons suddenly returns to Philadelphia
Having missed the past two weeks of 76ers’ training camp, as well as a handful of pre-season games, Simmons shows up in Philadelphia’s home arena, the Wells Fargo Center.
Simmons rocks up prior to the 76ers’ pre-season clash against Brooklyn to take a COVID-19 test.
He must return a negative test and wait several days before training with teammates.
“We’ve said from day one what we wanted,” Coach Rivers said in response to the news.
“That we would love to get him back. Other than that, honestly, there’s nothing to report. … Our position hasn’t changed at all.”
October 18, 2021: Simmons returns, practices with teammates for the first time
After being cleared to return, Simmons participates in his first practice.
But how it went remains a mystery, with teammate Tobias Harris refusing to give much away to reporters.
“The vibe was what it was,” Harris said. “Was it perfect? No. But we’re here to do a job and that’s to win basketball games. We put on our big boy pants and get on the floor and do what we do.”
“We’re grown men here. This is not middle school, seventh grade, eighth grade, ‘Oh you did this to me.’ No. It’s, as soon as we step on that floor it’s just basketball. Honestly, that’s the way it should be.”
October 20, 2021: Simmons is kicked out of practice, suspended by team
Simmons is kicked out of practice and suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team”.
The drama reportedly began when the 25-year-old refused to participate in a defensive drill when asked to do so by the 76ers coach.
“I thought he was a distraction today,” coach Rivers said after the incident.
“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.”