All-Star Ben Simmons close to returning to 76ers?

It was thought that Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons could potentially sit through the entire 2021-22 NBA season if the team didn't grant his wish to be traded before or during the campaign. 

That may not be the case. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Simmons' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, is working on a deal that could result in the 25-year-old reporting to the team perhaps at some point this week. While the 76ers will likely remain open to trading Simmons if the right offer comes along, Wojnarowski adds the team still hopes to keep him on a long-term basis. 

Previous stories said the 76ers want to obtain an All-Star, draft picks and pick swaps for Simmons, but no trade materialized during the summer or early fall. According to ESPN, Simmons will have lost $1 million in salary docked following Monday's preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets during the much-publicized standoff. 

Philadelphia reportedly placed $8.25 million owed to Simmons on Oct. 1 in an escrow account, which may have caught the player's camp by surprise and could be impacting his decision to once again suit up for the club despite his desire to start fresh with a different organization.