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Ben Simmons Believes The Philadelphia Sixers Are Attempting To Force Him Into Playing, Worsening His Mental Health

Ben Simmons hasn’t participated in a Sixers game since Game 7 of the second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks in the previous 2021 NBA playoffs. Through 13 games this season, the hopes of Simmons returning to the court still seems very unlikely.

After a hampered trade demand and failure to cooperate with the team during practices and meetings early in the season, Simmons has shifted his focus on working on his mental health and cited this as one of the reasons why he doesn’t intend to appear in a Sixers game just yet.

While the Sixers listened to Simmons and even offered him professional assistance to help him with his mental health issues, the 25-year old Sixers point guard believes the team is recently making an attempt to force him into playing.

Simmons’ agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul backs up the three-time All-Star in this issue and said that the Sixers are making such unnecessary moves which only worsen Simmons’ mental health.

Per The Athletic:

Ben Simmons believes the Philadelphia 76ers’ recent actions are exacerbating his mental health issues, and that the team wants to deem him fit to force him to play, regardless of what he tells the team’s mental health therapist, his agent told The Athletic on Thursday.

“I truly believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity shined on the issue — that’s very unnecessary and has furthered the mental health issues for Ben,” Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul said. “Either you help Ben, or come out and say he’s lying. Which one is it?”