Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons will not play in the Sixers' preseason finale against the Detroit Pistons on Friday. However, Marc Stein reports there's “growing belief” that Simmons will indeed suit up for Philly again.
It had been previously been reported that Simmons had no intention of ever playing another game for the Sixers, which led to his holdout at the start of training camp. But with Philly not finding a trade to its liking and money coming out of his pockets due to his holdout, the three-time All-Star surprised the team by showing up earlier this week.
It was unknown if Simmons was reporting with the intent to play, and questions remain on that front. It seems clear he still wants a trade and a fresh start somewhere else, but he may be willing to suit up and perhaps help his trade stock. Or maybe he plays and pulls a James Harden, who clearly had one foot out the door by the end of his time in Houston. That could potentially accelerate the Sixers' desire to pull the trigger on a deal.
There are reportedly up to 10 teams that still have some level of interest in a Simmons trade. But, again, the Sixers keep saying they either want him back or need an absolutely massive haul back in order to trade him. So, we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out.
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