Ben Simmons, who now plays for the Brooklyn Nets, is said to have filed a complaint against his old team, the Philadelphia 76ers, to get back $20 million in salary that the Sixers didn’t pay him during his long standoff with the team.
Simmons filed the grievance late last week, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne, and Bobby Marks.
Simmons’ salary has been withheld by the Sixers since the start of the current season. He’d been fined for missing training camp and a preseason game, but the team stopped withholding his salary when Simmons allegedly told them he didn’t feel “mentally ready” to play for the team he’d vowed never to play for again.
The team eventually resumed fining him, in part because Simmons allegedly refused to provide the Sixers with updates on his mental health treatment progress. By February 1, the Sixers had fined him more than $19 million, according to Shelburne.
ESPN says that the outcome of this complaint could have “larger league implications” when it comes to future issues with mental health and NBA contracts.
Salary deductions continued after Nets trade
Since Simmons’ first paycheck of the season, the Sixers have been deducting fines from his pay. Simmons was set to make $33 million this season after signing a five-year, $170 million max extension with the team in 2019.
According to ESPN, he received a $16.5 million salary advance before the season began, so there wasn’t enough money in each of his paychecks to cover the $360,000 fine per missed game. And, according to reports, Simmons’ trade to the Nets on February 10 did not halt the deductions.
There Could Be A Problem For Simmons. According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, grievances must be filed within 30 days of the triggering event or when the facts become known.
Simmons was traded outside of the 30-day window six weeks ago. However, Simmons’ management team believes that the trade was not the precipitating event because the Sixers had been withholding his salary indefinitely since the start of the season.
Ben Simmons contract details
Simmons Signed A Five-year, $170.0 Million Extension With The 76ers In 2019. He’s Under Contract Through The 2024-25 Season And Has No Options In His Contract.
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Simmons | $33.0M | $35.5M | $37.9M | $40.3M |
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