Ben Simmons still upset that Joel Embiid blamed him for last season’s playoff loss

He’s also skeptical, sources close to him say, of Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s willingness to trade him because of his previous pursuit of Harden — who can become a free agent this summer. Simmons would be the best player the Sixers would send in any theoretical trade. And he’s upset that the organization is fining him so heavily after he raised mental health as an issue upon his return. Rich Paul, Simmons’ agent, had spent weeks in the fall trying to convince the three-time All-Star to fly back to Philadelphia as a show of good faith. Simmons did not want to go under any circumstances. -via ESPN / February 1, 2022

But according to sources with knowledge of the conversation, Paul told Simmons that while he understood Simmons wasn’t mentally ready to get on the court, because of the four years remaining on his contract, they simply had no leverage if he didn’t at least return to the team. Simmons said he understood. And when his older brother, Sean Tribe, agreed with Paul, the decision was made to fly back to Philadelphia. To Simmons, this was a grand gesture of good faith. To the Sixers, it was a surprise (no one let them know in advance Simmons was coming), and the least a player under contract could do. -via ESPN / February 1, 2022

“We don’t give a f— about the money,” one source close to Simmons says. “That’s not what this is. It’s hard for people to understand. But if you believe in what you’re doing and that this is not the right situation for you, and you’re trying to get to a better place, the money doesn’t matter. Obviously it’s a financial hit. But you adjust.” Said another source close to Simmons, “It’s easy to tell when someone is hurt when they have a cast on their arm. But this is mental health. You can’t always see it. But ask yourself, how many people would lose a dollar over this? That should tell you everything.” -via ESPN / February 1, 2022