Shaquile O’Neal: ‘Ben Simmons DM’d me, he said some things and I said some things back’

In the rant on TNT’s Inside the NBA, Shaq wouldn’t call Simmons by name, describing him as “soft” and a “crybaby” who can’t take criticism. It turned out that Simmons took notice of the segment because he reached out to Shaq. In the latest edition of the The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal revealed that an angry Ben Simmons sent him a few direct messages to argue about what he said on Inside the NBA. Shaq wouldn’t disclose exactly what Simmons wrote but described him as “mad.”
Source: Andrew Joseph @ For The Win

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
If Ben Simmons isn’t traded, what move should Daryl Morey make to shore up a solid playoff run? | Sixers mailbag inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 11:24 AM

Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
ICYMI
🎧NEW Big Board Pod🎧
NBA Trade Deadline Special w guest @Jake Fischer
🏀A potential Bradley Beal-Ben Simmons deal
🏀Would Danny Ainge pull the trigger on a Rudy Gobert trade?
🏀Knicks, Pistons, Bulls, Hawks, Pacers, Kings trade options
nbabigboard.com/p/-nba-trade-d… – 9:59 AM

Stephen Noh @StephNoh
Is Daryl Morey bluffing when it comes to holding onto Ben Simmons past the deadline? I think it’s likely, and I went through the receipts to show why.
Full story here: https://t.co/sz7qAtlgJL pic.twitter.com/kRh5qREqhD – 9:37 AM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
If Ben Simmons isn’t traded, what move should Daryl Morey make to shore up a solid playoff run? | #Sixers mailbag inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 8:17 AM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
76ers coach Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons: ‘I want him to do well. It’s just the excuses and all that stuff’ nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/02/76e… – 9:41 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Ben Simmons has gotten vaccinated nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/02/rep… – 7:32 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
New for @The Athletic – Since nobody at all is talking about Ben Simmons, I teamed up with our @Rich Hoffman to discuss what 76ers’ realistic options are .. .and also looked at non-Simmons trades, which sources tell me the Sixers are also allowed to do
theathletic.com/3107241/2022/0… – 7:25 PM

Chad Ford @chadfordinsider
🎧NEW Big Board Pod🎧
NBA Trade Deadline Special Podcast w guest @Jake Fischer
🏀A potential Bradley Beal-Ben Simmons deal
🏀Would Danny Ainge pull the trigger on a Rudy Gobert trade?
🏀Knicks, Pistons, Bulls, Hawks, Pacers, Kings trade options
nbabigboard.com/p/-nba-trade-d… – 6:26 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
If Ben Simmons isn’t traded, what move should Daryl Morey make to shore up a solid playoff run? | #Sixers mailbag inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 3:33 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Will the #Sixers trade Ben Simmons before the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline? – 1:36 PM

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
If Ben Simmons isn’t traded, what move should Daryl Morey make to shore up a solid playoff run? | Sixers mailbag inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 12:40 PM

Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Will get into all the potential Ben Simmons trades soon, but @John Hollinger answered a few of my big-picture questions about the Sixers’ decision to deal him (or not deal him) at the trade deadline: theathletic.com/3107241 – 12:01 PM

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The Woj Pod with @Ramona Shelburne goes inside the Sixers-Ben Simmons standoff, including new details, the impact on Joel Embiid, possibility of Simmons playing post-trade deadline, much more.
Spotify: spoti.fi/3rlUgEG
Apple: apple.co/3HoAmi3 – 10:10 AM

Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers story: Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons: ‘There’s nobody that’s been more supportive than me. I have a tape someone sent me of almost an hour of me over and over (praising him)’ https://t.co/AEvTyXJF9g #NBA pic.twitter.com/eyzPBpV9NM – 10:10 PM

Noah Levick @NoahLevick
No surprises here: Tyrese Maxey is officially one of 12 sophomore players chosen for the Rising Stars Challenge by NBA assistant coaches.
Maxey’s the first Rising Star selection for the Sixers since Ben Simmons in 2019. – 7:15 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Ben Simmons ignored Doc Rivers’ calls and texts, frustrated that 76ers coach didn’t visit anyway nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/01/rep… – 6:00 PM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Ben Simmons remains at impasse with 76ers, will forfeit $32 million if he sits out full season, per report
cbssports.com/nba/news/ben-s… – 3:15 PM

Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Exclusive #NBA story on Doc Rivers’ reaction to the latest from the #Sixers’ Ben Simmons: ‘Some of this stuff I laugh at … The people that can’t (handle the truth) probably don’t handle me well. And I don’t lose an ounce of sleep over it’ https://t.co/awaUELQT1V #76ersPreview pic.twitter.com/YJQhpTkA4E – 3:13 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
It’s February, so screw it, let’s make some trade deadline predictions.
Won’t get traded: Ben Simmons, Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, any notable Pacers.
Will get traded: C.J. McCollum (Pelicans), Eric Gordon (Cavs), John Collins (destination unclear), Kenrich Williams (Bulls). – 2:28 PM

Jake Madison @NOLAJake
The source on the Ben Simmons piece is very clearly Klutch and even they are like look we tried to get Ben to listen and he wouldn’t.
Ignoring all the texts and calls and then being upset someone doesn’t show up is just Ben not getting it. – 2:24 PM

The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Ben Simmons has been fined $19 million by the 76ers so far this season.
Simmons could lose another $12 million if he refuses to play this year.
➡️ https://t.co/60K9cfgcZN pic.twitter.com/GUhocTJ2hj – 2:01 PM

Sopan Deb @SopanDeb
So Ben Simmons is upset that Doc Rivers didn’t show up unannounced to a gym he worked out at after ignoring several of Doc’s entreaties?
https://t.co/HtxuDuI8We pic.twitter.com/ve0rbyckDC – 12:24 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: 76ers have fined Ben Simmons more than $19M – and counting nba.nbcsports.com/2022/02/01/rep… – 12:14 PM

Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Every time people around Ben Simmons try to tell his side of the story, they only end up showing they don’t understand the problem at hand phillyvoice.com/ben-simmons-la… – 12:08 PM

Ramona Shelburne @ramonashelburne
Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are stuck in a moment. espn.com/nba/insider/in… – 11:51 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Ben Simmons reportedly fined $19 million since season started sportando.basketball/en/ben-simmons… – 11:45 AM

Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Correct me of I’m wrong, but didn’t Ben Simmons have the second worst +/- in the Raptors series, while Joel Embiid had by far the best?
And Ben’s stat line was nothing to gloat about. – 11:40 AM

Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Would like to thank Ben Simmons. If not for his thin skin, being incredibly selfish, the Sixers would not know what they have in Tyrese Maxey. – 10:25 AM

More on this storyline

Shaq said he told Simmons that he was leaving Joel Embiid out there without support and that he needed to play. Simmons said some things back that Shaq wouldn’t disclose, but still, it shows how Simmons remains preoccupied with what people are saying about him. -via For The Win / February 3, 2022

There continues to indication that Atlanta is interested in Ben Simmons, though the asking price may be beyond its means. “I’m not sure if they’d move (Bogdan) Bogdanovic, but that would be a mistake,” said one league source. “I think him not being healthy all year is a big reason behind their problems. He’s one of those guys whose game can really complement (Trey) Young and (John) Collins.” -via Heavy.com / February 2, 2022

Simmons has lost over $19 million in fines since the season began (each missed game costs him $360,000). He hasn’t cleared a paycheck since the $8.25 million (25% of his $33 million salary) that was due to him Oct. 1. Every two weeks the team sends a notice with an explanation of all the fines he has accumulated for failing to render services, instead of a $1.375 million paycheck. By the end of the season, if he does not play for the Sixers or any other team, Simmons could lose another $12 million. It is a staggering amount of money. Everyone involved assumes this issue will eventually be settled in arbitration. But those close to Simmons, who has earned upward of $60 million over his career, insist his decision to demand a trade and then not to play until he is traded has never been financially motivated. He wants a fresh start, away from a franchise he doesn’t feel comfortable playing for anymore. -via ESPN / February 1, 2022