NBA rumors: Ben Simmons might not play for Philadelphia 76ers again despite returning to practice

Ben Simmons has not suited up for the Philadelphia 76ers this season following a holdout that began in the offseason. If the latest NBA rumors are to be believed, Simmons may never play for the Sixers again despite returning to practice just before the season started.

According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, sources close to Ben Simmons believe the player is not going to play for Philly again. The 25-year-old star cited his physical and mental health as reasons for not being ready to play. Simmons is dealing with a back issue, while details on his mental health remain unknown.

Ben Simmons returned to practice on October 22nd to avoid further fines from the Sixers. He has been fined around $2 million in total due to several reasons like missing practices and team meetings, since his holdout.

Simmons has already spoken with his teammates and coaches, and has been accepted with open arms. The organization appears to be doing everything it can to help their second-best player. But the chances of Simmons playing another game for the Sixers are getting slimmer.

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Ben Simmons not coordinating with team doctors regarding mental health

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the 76ers are losing their patience with Ben Simmons. The Sixers want to address Simmons' mental readiness to play, but he has not cooperated with team doctors regarding the same.

The report added that Simmons prefers doctors provided by the National Basketball Players Association (NBA). The Sixers are frustrated because Simmons is not updating them about the situation. Nevertheless, team doctors are working with the three-time All-Star on his back injury.

Ben Simmons has also been interacting with his teammates and coaches since rejoining the team. But he has not been cleared to participate in full practice yet. The Sixers have stopped fining Simmons because the CBA protects a player with mental health issues from getting sanctioned for missing games.

The future of Ben Simmons is still surrounded by uncertainty. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made it clear that they are not trading Simmons for anything less than what they believe is his worth.

Some of the teams that have been linked with Simmons in the offseason include the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors.

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