Ben Simmons will not report to 76ers training camp next week ahead of the 2021-22 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Simmons is reportedly willing to hold out through the regular season if necessary until he is traded. The three-time All-Star "intends to never play another game for the franchise," according to Wojnarowski.
Simmons reportedly spoke with 76ers management in August and said he no longer wants to remain with the franchise, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey. His request came following a disastrous second-round loss to the Hawks in the 2021 playoffs, a series in which Simmons averaged just 9.9 points per game and shot 33.3% from the field. Simmons attempted 14 shots in the final three games of the series, and his reticence to shoot drew criticism from teammate Joel Embiid.
Simmons, 25, is a two-time All-Defense honoree, and he earned an All-NBA nod in 2019-20. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game last season, posting a 55.7% mark from the field. Philadelphia earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs last season before its loss to Atlanta.
