Ben Simmons has received assistance regarding his mental health issues while he remains absent from the team at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Philadelphia doesn’t have a mental health specialist with whom Simmons is comfortable with, leading fans to speculate if this is just Simmons’ way of getting out of playing since he seems to have literally zero interest in doing so.
Simmons has ended the holdout and returned to the team facilities, but had told 76ers officials in October that he wasn’t mentally ready to play to his standards, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He also suggested he had a back injury, the timing of which was suspect.
Charania underlined that the 25-year-old had provided the 76ers with the names of his current mental health doctors, but due to patient confidentiality, they are unable to release information without Simmons’ approval.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recently claimed the 76ers had been dissatisfied with the situation, adding that the rising frustration is the result of Ben refusing to accept any help offered by the team.
The team penalized Simmons $360,000 for missing the game against the Detroit Pistons and plans to fine him for each game he skips.
The NBA Players Association, according to Charania, supports Simmons and feels the 76ers cannot refuse to pay him as long as he gives basic information regarding the mental health doctors he is seeing.
Philadelphia sports fans are fed up after they dealt with Carson Wentz woes and now this nonsense with Ben Simmons.
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