Ben Simmons reportedly accuses Philadelphia 76ers of exacerbating mental health problems

Australian basketball star Ben Simmons reportedly believes the Philadelphia 76ers’ recent actions are an attempt to force him to play.

No one is going to win this standoff. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Ben Simmons trade saga has taken yet another ugly turn, with accusations that the Philadelphia 76ers have contributed to the Australian’s mental health problems.

Simmons skipped the entire pre-season and made it clear he wanted to be traded away from the 76ers, despite having four years and $200 million remaining on his contract, but a suitable trade has yet not been found.

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The Australian eventually ended his off-season exile and returned to Philadelphia but was then kicked out of practice, suspended and fined. That was until the 25-year-old said he was suffering from mental health issues, at which point the Sixers offered him support and reinstated his salary.

But that changed again when Simmons was reportedly fined $487,000 for missing last week’s game against the Detroit Pistons.

At the heart of the unpleasant situation is suggestions from some within the team that Simmons is either faking his mental health condition — or the team is acting with absolute disrespect towards a player who needs help.

According to The Athletic, Simmons believes the 76ers’ recent actions are an attempt to force him to play, which has exacerbated his mental health issues.

“I truly believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity shined on the issue — that’s very unnecessary and has furthered the mental health issues for Ben,” Simmons’ agent, Klutch Sports chief executive Rich Paul, told The Athletic.

“Either you help Ben, or come out and say he’s lying. Which one is it?”

A 76ers team official denied the accusations, claiming they have been fully supportive of Simmons’ recovery process.

Ben Simmons is yet to play an NBA game this season. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

The Sixers’ treatment of Simmons was recently branded “unconscionable” by senior ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst, who said he “can’t believe” how the team has acted in devaluing him as a player and person.

“I’m not so sure I’ve ever seen a player more devalued by his own team than Ben Simmons and it goes on to this day,” Windhorst told Sportsnet’s Eric Smith and Paul Jones earlier this week.

“What they’ve done since then has been unconscionable, the way they’ve devalued him. And I just don’t understand why a guy like (76ers basketball boss) Daryl Morey, who’s one of the smartest guys in the league, would condone the over and over and over devaluing of this guy.

“It’s not admirable (Simmons trying to get out of his contract early), we can all see that. But the stuff that they (the 76ers) have done to him and now basically questioning whether or not he has mental health problems — that’s essentially what they’re saying, they’re basically calling him a faker — I just can’t believe they’ve behaved this way.

“Forget about what it is on an individual, personal basis — it’s just bad business.”

Speaking to SEN Breakfast this week, Australian basketball great Andrew Bogut called for the 76ers to bite the bullet and offload Simmons before things turn even nastier.

“The further it goes, the worse it gets for both parties to be honest,” Bogut said.

“The closer they get to trade deadline, his value gets lower and lower because once the trade deadline (February 10) passes, then what are they going to do?

“Philly’s trying to push for a playoff, potential championship run — Joel Embiid’s not getting any younger. They can arguably flip him for someone that can help them get over the line to that championship right now.

“Daryl Morey, the GM, is posturing that if he has to keep him (Simmons) for four years, he will. I don’t believe that for a second.

“And then on the flip side, Ben needs to play basketball. He has not played an NBA game for six months, and it could end up being a year if he doesn’t get traded.”