Ben Simmons reportedly already feeling impact of holdout after being fined $360,000 by 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is reportedly already feeling the impact of his holdout.
Simmons' camp met with the players union after Simmons was fined roughly $360,000 for missing Monday's game, and were told he could not get that money back, according to the Philly Voice.
Simmons, 25, is locked in a holdout with the 76ers after a rough offseason. He did not report to training camp, and faces fines from the team now that preseason games have started.
The 76ers played their first preseason game Monday, a 123-107 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Simmons wasn't present for the contest, and was fined roughly $360,000 for his absence. That figure was reportedly higher than Simmons' camp expected, according to the Philly Voice.
The 76ers are withholding 25 percent of Simmons' salary after he failed to report to the team. Simmons was supposed to make over $33 million this season. The 76ers are withholding over $8 million with Simmons away from the team.
Simmons can reportedly take the issue to arbitration, though he's unlikely to win that fight, according to the Philly Voice. Simmons signed a five-year, $177 million deal with the team in 2019.
76ers proceeding without Ben Simmons
The 76ers haven't seemed motivated to deal Simmons. Players — like Joel Embiid — have expressed a desire for Simmons to return to the team to no avail. Embiid was part of a group that was reportedly willing to fly to Los Angeles to meet with Simmons, but Simmons allegedly told them not to come.
Simmons' value is at an all-time low after a miserable postseason series against the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons came under fire for his refusal to shoot and his inability to make clutch free throws. Both Embiid and 76ers head coach Doc Rivers appeared to take shots at Simmons once the 76ers were eliminated.
Those comments frustrated Simmons, who asked for a trade in the offseason. With the 76ers unwilling to accommodate him, Simmons has two options: Return to the team with his tail between his legs or continue to lose six figures every time he misses a game.
