All-Star guard Ben Simmons has ended his infamous holdout and rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers. According to multiple reports, Simmons had his physical on Tuesday and then met with Philly’s brass that included president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand.
Further details about the sit-down between Simmons and the 76ers remain unknown, but sources close to the organization described it to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne as “brief.”
This is an unexpected turn of events in the Simmons/76ers saga that has plagued the team for the better part of the offseason. The 25-year-old star asked to be traded back in August and opted to remain away from the team until moved. Philadelphia retaliated by withholding the player’s salary and putting it in escrow while fining him for every preseason game he missed.
While it appeared earlier that Simmons was ready to forfeit the money to get what he wanted, his mind changed late last week. His representatives and the 76ers had a breakthrough in talks and laid the foundation for Simmons to return to the team.
It now remains to be seen whether Simmons just reported to keep collecting his paychecks or he intends to play for the 76ers this season. The answer to this will be clearer later this week when he passes NBA health and safety protocols and becomes eligible to participate in team activities.
Ben Simmons decided to ask out after being criticized by several members of the organization for his poor performances in the 2020-21 postseason. Simmons averaged career-low 11.9 points per game in the first two rounds and particularly struggled in the Eastern Conference semifinals exit against the Atlanta Hawks.
The 76ers were at first open to trading Simmons but failed to find offers they liked. This is when the organization changed its approach and became focused on repairing the relationship with the player.
