Sixers Take Another Step Towards Repairing Relationship With Ben Simmons

The Ben Simmons saga hasn't had a dull moment this offseason. Ever since the Sixers dropped Game 7 to the Atlanta Hawks early on in the summer, Simmons told the team he wanted a fresh start with another organization.

76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was open for business and fielded some offers, but with Ben Simmons' value at an all-time low, teams weren't willing to meet Philadelphia's high demands.

By August, the Sixers wanted to salvage the situation and get Simmons to buy back into playing in Philly once again. But Simmons made it clear that a holdout was coming. Training camp came and went, and Simmons never showed up. Although he showed face in Philly halfway through the preseason, he never played.

After missing a few weeks worth of team-wide activities, Simmons racked up over $1 million in fines from the Sixers. In addition, he was booted from a practice session and slapped with a one-game suspension. Things got ugly in Philly between Ben Simmons and the Sixers for a little while, but now both parties are taking the proper steps to repair the relationship.

It started with a team meeting on Friday. Simmons, who reunited with his teammates for the first time since getting suspended, addressed his teammates. 

According to Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and others, the meeting was a step in the right direction. While Simmons didn't re-join the team after the discussion, he did make it clear that he's not mentally ready to play just yet.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, with Simmons admitting his reason for wanting to sit out, the Sixers have decided to stop issuing fines to the veteran guard.

"Some of this is because there is a standard provision in player contracts that says if you're dealing with a mental health issue, which Ben Simmons has reported to the team that he is, and he wants to work on himself mentally and physically this week, and they've taken that in good faith," Shelburne reports.

When will Simmons return to practice? Right now, there isn't a timeline. For the time being, the Sixers are focused on getting Simmons the proper help that he needs before having the three-time All-Star retake the court. In the meantime, the Sixers will stop fining the guard as he works on himself. And perhaps some time in the near future, the star guard will suit up for the Sixers and get back on track.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.