Woj Bomb. Minutes after I just wrote another TMZ Drew article about Ben Simmons leaving the Bird Gang and attending a Dallas Cowboys – LA Chargers game, Adrian Wojnarowski drops an absolute bomb of a tweet regarding Simmons and his plans for his basketball future. 

Sources have told ESPN that Ben Simmons will not report to training camp, which starts on September 28th in Philadelphia. According to the report, Simmons hasn’t spoken to the team since late August, when he told the Sixers that this is the route he was planning on taking. 

Woj continued tweeting stating that Simmons is “clearly away of sanctions available to the organization” meaning that the 76ers will have the option to now fine and suspend him, including withholding his salary. Simmons is reportedly content with carrying out a plan that he and Klutch Sports have in place to force his way out of Philadelphia. 

On the other side of this mess, is the Philadelphia 76ers, who have been reportedly unwilling to trade Simmons for anything less than a star-caliber player in return. It really can’t get any more official than that. Adrian Wojnarowski knows what he’s talking about and we have now reached a complete stand-off between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers. 

As a strong supporter of Ben Simmons, this news was expected given his damaged relationship with the Philadelphia 76ers and the city as a whole. I was always a believer that Simmons would eventually cave and rejoin the Sixers, with the support of his teammates, and work on repairing his relationship with the team and the 76ers fanbase. Clearly, that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s not like this news is anything we haven’t heard over and over again throughout the Summer, but coming from Woj, now we know the cold hard truth.

It is pretty fascinating that Ben Simmons and Klutch Sports think they have an inch of leverage in this situation. The city of Philadelphia and the 76ers themselves didn’t do anything wrong. Ben Simmons chose to turn his back on the city. The fact that he’s now taking such a strong stance against returning the 76ers is absolutely ridiculous. What team would want to bring in a player that doesn’t realize this? How can he sit there and play the victim? 

I am confused on why Ben Simmons would draw a line in the sand like this. It certainly doesn’t help his image, which he clearly cares so deeply about, and it definitely won’t help his chances on being traded. If I was Daryl Morey and the 76ers, I would let Simmons sit out as long as he wants. There is absolutely no way I would cave to any of his demands. That’s not what happens when you have a 25-year old All-Star on a max contract that still has four years left on the deal.

I personally can’t wait to just sit back and fine the shit out of Ben Simmons. Hopefully the 76ers won’t budge either. Let him sit out. I know it’s not the best “basketball business decision” but at this point, it’s about proving a point. If you want to act like an asshole after being the worst player on the court in the playoffs then so bet it.

If they 76ers had any balls. They would put down the phones, and just start writing fines to Ben Simmons and Klutch Sports for the next four years. Take that, Benny.

Mandatory Credit: USA Today