Ben Simmons Salary Grievance With Sixers: The Latest

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has reportedly reached a salary settlement with the organization after filing a grievance.

Simmons, who did not appear in an NBA game last year — either with the Sixers or the team he was traded to, the Brooklyn Nets — will receive an undisclosed amount of cash in the settlement, ESPN first reported.

Nearly $20 million was withheld by the Sixers from Simmons during the lost 2021-22 season.

For months the Sixers had seemingly tried every trick in the book to get Simmons back on the court. From shortly after the 2021 playoffs ended with an upset loss to the Atlanta Hawks, during which Simmons underperformed, the versatile 6'10 point guard was adamant about never donning a Philadelphia uniform again.

During what became, for all sides, a public relations nightmare over the next 6 months, there were moments when it seemed purely about Simmons' personal choice. There were moments when Simmons appeared to have a real physical ailment, possibly related to the back injury he was recovering from after being traded to Brooklyn. And there were times when both Simmons and the Sixers talked about his mental health being the chief factor keeping him off the hardwood.

The upshot of it all was the same: the Sixers never got their second most important player back on the court, and they said that because Simmons was not cooperating with their medical staff, he would not be paid.

Ultimately, Simmons was essentially replaced by new fan favorite Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers landed aging superstar James Harden in a blockbuster deal with the Nets. Broad Street raged, the Sixers made a solid playoff run nonetheless, and President Daryl Morey is undertaking yet another offseason of wheeling and dealing to put out yet another championship contender come this fall.

Simmons had been owed $147 million over four years when the 2021-22 season began.