As the NBA season approaches its halfway mark, there appears to be no imminent resolution to the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand reportedly met with Simmons's agent, Rich Paul, on Wednesday to discuss the 25-year-old's future.
The discussion was described as "amicable and professional," though the team is no nearer to trading the three-time All-Star, while Simmons remains firm in his desire to not play for Philadelphia this season.
Paul has cited continued mental health hurdles that prevent Simmons from rejoining the team, per Wojnarowski. He's under contract through the 2024-25 season, and is due to make over $146 million for the remainder of the deal (including this season). The 76ers are reportedly eyeing an impact player in a potential trade that would improve their chances at winning a championship this season.
Through his first four seasons in the league, Simmons has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. Philadelphia entered Wednesday riding a seven-game winning streak and occupy the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
