PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Last week, the Philadelphia 76ers re-imposed a $360,000 fine on Ben Simmons after he refused to "provide basic details of his course of mental health meetings, evaluations or treatments or to accept consultation with any specialists arranged by the team."
That, combined with the 76ers' threat to resume fining him regularly for his refusal to cooperate among other issues, seems to have been enough of an impetus to make Simmons change course in how he has been dealing with the organization.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Simmons met with a "team-recommended medical specialist" to go over his mental health concerns.
That certainly ticks the box of accepting consultation with a specialist arranged by the team, so it's a step in the direction of cooperation with the 76ers that, to this point, has been hard to come by.
Wojnarowski's latest reporting mentions that the team is not close in any trade discussions and they "want Simmons to play until a deal can be found."
Woj also added that the fines levied on Simmons by the 76ers also had to do with "basketball-related matters, including missing strength training, film session and other responsibilities," and there's no update as to whether or not he has begun cooperating in that realm.
Philadelphia is 8-2, in first place in the Eastern Conference and own the league's highest offensive rating without Simmons so far, though they'll be tested on Monday night. With Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris both out to COVID-19-related issues, they'll be short-handed against the New York Knicks.
