Sixers Fine Ben Simmons $360K Game Salary For Missing Thursday Night's Game, Report Says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The back-and-forth continues. The 76ers have reportedly fined Ben Simmons his $360,000 game salary for missing Thursday night's game and plan to resume fining him until he cooperates with team physicians on his mental health issues and fulfills other basketball-related obligations.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the new developments surrounding the Ben Simmons drama on Friday afternoon.
"ESPN Sources: The 76ers fined Ben Simmons his $360K game salary for missing Thursday's game and plan to resume fining him until he cooperates with team physicians on his mental health issues and fulfills other basketball-related obligations," Wojnarowski tweeted.
Sources tell ESPN that Simmons' future salary will go into an escrow account which earlier this season the money was released from when he rejoined the team with intentions to return to playing with the team.
Simmons has been working with mental health professionals through the NBA's Player Association but is refusing to provide basic details surrounding the situation and will not meet with any specialists provided by the 76ers, the sources added.
Despite showing up at the team's facility and engaging in basketball activity with coaches and his teammates, he is not participating in all requirements. The source said the team will begin fining him again for not participating in activities like strength training, film study or attending some team practices and game-day shootarounds.
The Sixers beat the Detriot Pistons on Thursday night despite being without Tobias Harris due to COVID protocols and Furkan Korkmaz who also sat out.
The 76ers are 7-2 and have the best record in the Eastern Conference.
