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The Ben Simmons saga took the next step on a path leading who knows where on Friday morning, as the All-Star and All-Defensive point guard informed the Philadelphia 76ers he’s still “not mentally ready to play.”
Here is how The Athletic’s Shams Charania framed the discussion between Simmons, coach Doc Rivers, All-NBA center Joel Embiid and the rest of the Sixers’ players before Friday’s shootaround in Philadelphia:
Sources: Ben Simmons spoke to Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid and entire 76ers team today and accepted everyone needs to take responsibility, including himself — but Simmons informed them all that he’s not mentally ready to play yet and needs time.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 22, 2021
The Sixers are scheduled to play their home opener on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Obviously, Simmons will not be in the lineup, as he has yet to engage fully in practice with his team since last season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons also met with Rivers and Philadelphia’s medical staff to discuss his status, similarly informing them “he’s not mentally ready to play to his expectations now.” Simmons “has to be evaluated” by medical professionals to determine next steps, Wojnarowski reported.
Check back soon for more details.
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Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach