Reports: Simmons tells 76ers he's not mentally ready to play to his expectations

Ben Simmons has reportedly told Philadelphia 76ers medical professionals and head coach Doc Rivers that he is not mentally ready to play to his expectations now, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, adding another layer of uncertainty to when – and where – he will make his regular-season debut.

After the discussion, Simmons must now be evaluated and the next steps in his return will be based on the determination of medical professionals, Wojnarowski added.

In addition to Rivers, Simmons is believed to have spoken with Joel Embiid and the rest of the 76ers and and reported to shootaround Friday, where he seemed engaged, according to reporting from Shams Charania of The Athletic. That would be a marked improvement for the 25-year-old, who was thrown out of the 76ers practice earlier this week and subsequently suspended one game for what the team considered detrimental conduct, missing the team’s season opener.

Despite expressing his desire to play, the three-time All-Star informed the team on Friday he needs time to feel ready prior to the Sixers- home opener.

Coach Doc Rivers called it a productive day.

“It still doesn’t mean things will work out perfect, or it could,” Rivers said. “I’ve always believed that. I’ve never wavered from that.”

His teammates also showed support.

“And we’ll respect his privacy and space during this time,” Tobias Harris wrote on Twitter. “When he’s ready, we will embrace our brother with love and handle our business on the court. That’s it, that’s all.”

Rivers said he didn’t want to predict when Simmons might rejoin the Sixers — if the guard returns at all.

“We’re going to make sure Ben’s with the right people and see where that goes,” Rivers said. “He is part of the team. We have certain rules, obviously. The other day, that didn’t happen. But today was a good day.”

Mental health has been a priority for the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association in recent years, especially after players such as Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan opened up about their inner struggles with anxiety and other issues.

Part of those efforts has involved mandating that teams offer access to mental health professionals, with a program called Mind Health being launched by the league three years ago.

At this time, neither Simmons – who has yet to speak publicly this season on the issue – nor the 76ers have disclosed specifics on the nature of why he does not yet feel mentally ready to play.

On Thursday, Simmons reportedly notified 76ers staff he was dealing with back tightness stemming from the ramp-up process to get ready for the season and, after receiving treatment, was cleared to participate in the team’s scheduled workout but left the practice facility.

On Sunday, Simmons practised with the 76ers and faced his teammates for the first time since his off-season trade demand, the culmination of a weeks-long stalemate between him and the team that often made it appear the two parties had reached an irreconcilable point.

Video of Simmons practising subsequently surfaced on social media, showing him wearing sweat pants with what appeared to be a cell phone in his pocket. Throughout the practice, where he did not practise with the first team, Simmons lingered outside the team huddle, dribbled a basketball and often looked uninterested.

Simmons had missed all of training camp and the early part of the pre-season in the wake of his off-season trade demand. If the standoff had persisted through the season, the financial ramifications for Simmons would have been severe.

For each game Simmons missed by declining to report, he would forfeit $227,613. It is not clear at this time how missing games for feeling mentally unable to play would be handled by the team contractually.

— With files from The Associated Press