Report: Ben Simmons Expected to File Grievance Against 76ers 'In the Coming Days'

Ben Simmons may be a member of the Brooklyn Nets after being traded before the Feb. 10 deadline, but his standoff with the Philadelphia 76ers isn't over just yet.

According to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice, "league sources [are] anticipating that Simmons and his representation will file a formal grievance against the Sixers at some point in the coming days."

The issue at hand is that though Simmons did not play for the Sixers this season, ultimately telling them he wasn't mentally ready to take the court after asking for a trade, the team was fining him and withholding paychecks.

On Feb. 1, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that Simmons had lost "over $19 million in fines since the season began (each missed game costs him $360,000). He hasn't cleared a paycheck since the $8.25 million (25 percent of his $33 million salary) that was due to him Oct. 1. Every two weeks the team sends a notice with an explanation of all the fines he has accumulated for failing to render services, instead of a $1.375 million paycheck."

So if Simmons files a grievance, it's with the intent of getting that money back. He'll likely make the argument that he was unable to be with the team for mental health reasons and that the fines aren't justified.

"I truly believe the fines, the targeting, the negative publicity shined on the issue—that's very unnecessary and has furthered the mental health issues for Ben," Klutch Sports CEO and Simmons' agent, Rich Paul, told The Athletic's Shams Charania in November. "Either you help Ben, or come out and say he's lying. Which one is it?"

The Sixers will argue that Simmons never met with a team-approved health professional, per Neubeck, and "never received documentation that provided them with either an explanation for his absence or a treatment plan to put him in a position to be available at some point this season" from the NBPA-approved specialist he reportedly saw.

In essence, the team wanted to be appraised of Simmons' treatment and progress, much as they would be with a player recovering from injury.

Per Neubeck, "based on conversations with league sources and several people familiar with the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, the early indication is that the Sixers are in a much stronger position here."

Regardless, it's just another layer of drama pulsating in the background of Thursday's matchup between the Sixers and Nets in Philadelphia. Simmons won't play but will be on the bench, and he certainly isn't expected to receive a very warm welcome from the Philly fans.

"It's great," head coach Steve Nash told reporters of Simmons being with the team in Philadelphia. "He's on our team, he needs to be with his teammates and get the whole Philly thing out of the way a little bit. Maybe it never goes away, but the first time it's always nice to kind of deal with it and move on."

If Simmons is indeed planning on filing a grievance, however, neither he nor the Sixers will be moving on just yet.