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Ben Simmons handed out a several solutions after an elongated holdout and past week’s trade to the Brooklyn Nets. The 2016 No. 1 general decide on advised reporters his mental health had practically nothing to do with the offer, but that things experienced piled up for the duration of his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers that compelled his way out.
“It piled up a bunch of matters in excess of the several years exactly where I knew I wasn’t myself and I had to get back again to that location of being myself and remaining content as a man or woman and using care of my very well-getting,” Simmons explained to reporters. “That was the significant factor for me. It wasn’t about the basketball, it wasn’t about the revenue, anything like that. I want to be who I am and get again to taking part in basketball at that amount and remaining myself.”
He reported his choice not to go well with up for the 76ers had very little to do with followers, coaches or feedback that surrounded him soon after Match 7 of the playoffs.
Simmons on psychological well being
There ended up reviews in November that Simmons explained to the 76ers he was not mentally all set to engage in, as a result component of the purpose he was absent from the staff. It designed an unpleasant circumstance in coaching camp and outside of.
But it had nothing at all to do with the pressured trade, he reported.
“For me it was not, that was under no circumstances, the psychological health and fitness has very little to do with it. Just a trade,” Simmons said. “It was a bunch of issues that I was working with as a man or woman in my personal life that I never truly want to go into depth with. But I am listed here now. It truly is a blessing to be in an corporation like this. I am looking ahead to having back again on the floor and making a little something wonderful listed here.”
Simmons, 25, did tackle his in general mental health and said lovers really should be “satisfied I’m smiling, truthfully.” He reported he was working with issues prior to the 2020-21 time arrived around.
“I’ve had some dark moments in excess of these previous 6 months and I’m just happy to be in this circumstance with this crew and corporation,” Simmons said. “People are going to say what they want.”
Simmons hopes to be completely ready for Sixers-Nets
Simmons, who explained to reporters he did not communicate with previous teammate Joel Embiid after the trade, was asked if he programs to perform when the Sixers and Nets meet in Philadelphia on March 10. He’ll have to ramp up physically right after so significantly time off and be prepared mentally.
“I hope so,” he reported. The previous video game the three-time All-Star performed was on June 20, 2021.
Simmons did not enjoy, but was in the arena for the Nets’ 109-85 get against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night time. He reportedly did not do “significantly, if any, on-court docket perform,” per the New York Put up. He did attend methods early on in the season with the 76ers, but it’s unclear what his participation stage was then.