Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly reached a settlement agreement on the grievance filed by the superstar in an attempt to recoup around $AUD28 million of lost salary as a result of his refusal to play last season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons has received a portion of the money, but an exact figure is not known as the two parties agreed to a confidentiality agreement.
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After a tumultuous playoff exit to the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Simmons was heavily criticized for his lack of offensive output and subsequently requested a trade from Philadelphia.
Simmons made it abundantly clear that he would not play for the Sixers until his request was met, but the team withheld his salary when the star was a no-show at the team’s pre-season training camp.
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Although he eventually showed up for the camp, he refused to suit up in the regular season citing that he wasn’t mentally ready to play which saw the Sixers temporarily halt the fines.
However, the Sixers quickly resumed the financial punishments when Simmons chose not to meet with team doctors or provide updates on his mental health progress.
Simmons eventually got his wish when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in February alongside 76ers teammates Andre Drummond, Seth Curry as well as two future first-round picks, with James Harden and Paul Millsap heading the other way.
Despite moving to pastures new, Simmons is yet to play for the Nets due to a herniated disc in his back and underwent back surgery a day after Brooklyn was dumped out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics.
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