76ers' Doc Rivers: Ben Simmons' Back Injury Improving; 'More About the Mental'

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers provided an encouraging update on Ben Simmons. 

Rivers told reporters that Simmons was with the Sixers during their shootaround on Thursday. 

"His back is getting better," Rivers said about the All-Star point guard. "It’s more about the mental. That’s where it’s at."

Simmons and the 76ers have been at odds since the end of last season as the 25-year-old seeks a trade. 

Last week, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Simmons told Philadelphia's training staff  he was experiencing back discomfort and left the practice facility without doing any on-court work. 

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Simmons met with Rivers and his Sixers teammates to inform them he's "not ready to play yet and needs more time."

Charania added that Simmons said he didn't "feel like himself mentally right now to play in Philadelphia."

There is no indication that a trade involving Simmons is on the horizon. Daryl Morey, 76ers president of basketball operations, addressed the trade rumors last week during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic's The Mike Missanelli Show (h/t Jasmyn Wimbish of CBS Sports):

"This is a very good player, and to give ourselves the best chance to win the title you need difference makers, you don't need role players. Right now, any sort of trade, which obviously Ben Simmons wants, the best thing we could do is get role players back. That makes no sense, that will give us no better chance to win the title if we were to move Ben Simmons for role players."

Morey also said everyone "should buckle in" because he doesn't anticipate settling for an offer worth less than what he believes Simmons is worth. 

Simmons has spent his entire career with the Sixers since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2016. He's averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists in 275 games and has been named to the All-Star team in each of the previous three seasons.