Report: 76ers think Ben Simmons 'is faking injury and mental illness'
Those wondering if a day would pass by without there being any new drama regarding Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons will have to keep waiting, perhaps indefinitely.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier on Thursday that Simmons elected against participating in a scheduled individual workout but needed treatment for "back tightness" at the team's facility, and The Athletic's Shams Charania later tweeted Simmons "is currently not mentally ready to play" for the Sixers and could remain out of the lineup "for an undetermined period of time."
There's a new twist to those updates.
Philadelphia media personality Howard Eskin now reports the 76ers believe "Simmons is faking injury and mental illness" coming off his request over the summer to be traded:
Simmons skipped multiple weeks of training camp in a presumed attempt to force the 76ers to trade him, and he reportedly has already been fined roughly $1.7 million, total, for missing exhibition games, Wednesday's regular-season opener at the New Orleans Pelicans, workouts and meetings.
Simmons was suspended for Wednesday's matchup after coach Doc Rivers tossed him from a practice for reportedly refusing to participate in a defensive drill.
Despite all that has occurred, Wojnarowski says Simmons could be an option to at least attend Friday's home opener versus the Brooklyn Nets:
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