When is it realistic to expect Simmons to play in a game?
Monday sounded like a good day for Ben Simmons.
Simmons did the most “shooting and work that I’ve seen him by far” at one time this season, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said prior to Monday night’s 113-103 victory over the Trail Blazers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Simmons has apparently been working out regularly at the team’s training facility in Camden. The media got to see him ride a stationary bicycle at the end of Saturday’s shootaround.
The Sixers and Simmons have reached a truce of sorts after Simmons held out for the first two weeks of training camp and the preseason and being fined in excess of $1 million along the way.
Monday marked the sixth straight game Simmons missed due to “personal reasons” after reportedly telling the Sixers on Oct. 22 that he wasn’t “mentally ready” to play. One day earlier, he received treatment from the team medical staff for back stiffness. The Sixers have been paying Simmons the estimated $350,000 he earns per game since that time.
The 5-2 Sixers begin a six-game road trip Nov. 13 against the Pacers in Indianapolis, which fans and some other NBA folks have surmised could be when Simmons makes his 2021-22 debut. He’s going to have to ramp up his activity level soon for that to potentially be a viable possibility — he hasn’t advanced to 5-on-5 scrimmaging yet, according to Rivers.
The Sixers could really use Simmons right now after learning that starting power forward Tobias Harris was sidelined due to the league’s COVID19 health and safety protocols 30 minutes before the start of Monday’s game, but Simmons hasn’t reached that point. Harris could miss a minimum of 10 days and six games if he was sidelined because of a positive test.
Simmons and agent Rich Paul had asked the Sixers to trade him following the June 20 Game 7 playoff loss to the Hawks and again in late August. Simmons apparently thought Rivers and teammate Joel Embiid blamed the defeat on the hesitant-to-shoot Simmons during remarks they made to the media following the deciding contest.
Simmons, who hasn’t talked to the Philadelphia media since June 20, had said he didn’t want to play for the Sixers anymore. It’s possible he has changed his mind about that, but there’s no way to know for sure.
Simmons was suspended without pay by the team for the Oct. 20 season-opening road win over the Pelicans after not joining a drill at practice the day before despite Rivers twice requesting him to. Simmons had participated in portions of the Oct. 17-19 practices.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has said he won’t trade Simmons unless he gets a difference-maker back, which hasn’t been the case in his discussions with other NBA general managers.
Asked Saturday what goes into determining when Simmons will play in a game, Rivers replied, “I have no idea, honestly. I stay out of it. My job is to coach the guys that are here and then believe the guys who are on the team will play someday. That’s all I have to be as a coach. I don’t get caught up in all the clutter, I guess you could say . ... I do talk to Rich (Paul) quite a bit, but it’s more on a personal level.”
Rivers also said, “I don’t think (it’s Simmons decision when he comes back) — I think it’s going to be a team decision. But I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”
It’ll be interesting to see what happens in a week or two or whenever if the Sixers believe Simmons’ timeline isn’t progressing the way it should be.
Before Thursday’s win over the Pistons, Rivers said Simmons’ back “is getting better — it’s more about the mental (aspect). That’s where it’s at.”
While the next step is unclear, the best thing for the Sixers on a number of levels would be for Simmons to start playing in games later this month and go from there.