It feels like forever ago that the NBA world was focused on Ben Simmons' holdout from the Philadelphia 76ers. The current member of the Brooklyn Nets has not suited up for an NBA game in over a year. The former top pick requested a trade from the Sixers following the team's playoff collapse to the Atlanta Hawks. While both Simmons and the Sixers have moved on, there are still league-wide implications that could occur from the standoff.
As Zach Lowe recently referenced in his latest episode of The Lowe Post Podcast, Ben Simmons' arbitration case still has not been settled. It is unclear exactly how much money is being disputed, but the belief is that it is north of $19 million. This case is going to go a long way toward setting the standard for players holding out. As Zach Lowe put it on the podcast:
“To say the league and its 29 other teams are watching and listening and eagerly anticipating the outcome of that case is also an understatement. Whatever the outcome of that case is, it is going to be an Earthquake when it happens if it is one-sided.”
It has been surprising the lack of buzz surrounding this storyline. While Ben Simmons is not the first player to hold out with the goal of getting traded, there were certainly unique factors in his request. Stars forcing themselves out of with time left on their contract has become increasingly common.
Lowe mentioned that if the ruling favors one side in a major way it will cause some shockwaves. There is no clear timeline for when this decision will be made, but teams around the NBA are watching. Expect the ruling to play a major role in the future collective bargaining agreement and the standard moving forward.
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