The drama in Philly continues as Sixers want-away star Ben Simmons remains out of the lineup. Coach Doc Rivers recently provided an update on the status of the former Rookie of the Year and, right now, it does not sound like Simmons will be taking the floor for Philadelphia anytime soon.

Simmons has been dealing with some sort of back injury, but according to Rivers, it's now all about Ben's mental state:

“His back is getting better,” Rivers said, via Noah Levick of NBCS Philly. “It’s more about the mental. That’s where it’s at.”

Doc Rivers did not provide too many details about Simmons' status moving forward, but based on his statement above, it does seem like the only thing stopping Simmons from playing is his state of mind.

The Sixers have been very patient with Simmons and they've allowed him to return to the team despite his actions throughout the summer. It also wasn't too long ago that the 25-year-old pulled off a sensational stunt in practice that led to a team-sanctioned suspension. Nevertheless, the Sixers appear to be willing to reconcile with their star point guard. At this point, it also sounds like Simmons himself has had a bit of a change of heart.

To be clear, a trade away from Philadelphia is still very much on the table, and it feels like this still remains to be the first option for both parties. Up and until this happens, however, the Ben Simmons saga will continue to be a lingering issue within the team.