The NBA’s trade deadline is less than a month away, which means that the Philadelphia 76ers have less than a month to trade Ben Simmons for reinforcements this season. Otherwise, the Sixers will have to wait until over the offseason to make a move with Simmons, who hasn’t played in a single game for the team this season after requesting a trade last summer. 

The Sixers have remained patient when it comes to finding a new home for the disgruntled All-Star, and there has been some speculation that Simmons would ultimately suit up for Philadelphia if he wasn’t moved by the deadline. After all, he continues to be fined for every game and practice that he misses. However, that apparently won’t be the case, as Simmons is “open” to sitting out the entirety of the season despite the fines, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. 

“I think the sense is, if it takes the entire season to trade him, if it takes all year for the Sixers to find a trade that’s acceptable for them, he’s prepared for that,” Shelburne said of Simmons on Monday during an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today. 

The standoff between the Sixers and Simmons stretching into summer is a real possibility due to Philadelphia’s high asking price…