The reception that Ben Simmons gets from Sixers fans on Thursday night in his return to the Wells Fargo Center could have an impact on whether the Sixers have to pay him the roughly $20 million in fines he accrued while waiting to be traded, according to a report from Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice.
Simmons is expected to be on the bench Thursday for the Sixers game against the Nets, and if the crowd reaction is as ugly as it is expected to be, Simmons’ legal team could use it to prove he wasn’t able to show up to work for the Sixers.
“The suggestion has been floated in league circles that Simmons showing up for Thursday's game is merely setting the stage for Simmons and Klutch Sports' argument when the grievance is filed…
“Put Simmons in the middle of that storm, the argument goes, and it's believed that will be Exhibit A in the case of why Simmons could not and did not fulfill his obligations for the Sixers prior to being traded, why he was unprepared to work for this franchise prior to being dealt.”
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Simmons has not yet suited up for the Nets due to back issues, although it is expected he will play at one point this season. It is very possible the Sixers face the Nets in the playoffs, and if they do, the reaction from fans to Simmons taking the court as a member of a playoff opponent will be strong, to say the least.
How much the crowd reaction impacts the eventual ruling on the $20 million in fine money remains to be seen, but it is yet another wild turn in what has been a drama-filled split for Simmons and the Sixers.