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Ben Simmons hits practice court with Philadelphia 76ers amid uncertainty on future

AAPAP
Ben Simmons has practised with Philadelphia but his status for the NBA opener is still unclear.
Camera IconBen Simmons has practised with Philadelphia but his status for the NBA opener is still unclear. Credit: AP

Australia’s Ben Simmons has hit the practice court with the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season but no decision has been made yet on his status for their NBA opener.

“He was just one of the players,” coach Doc Rivers said.

Simmons was a holdout for training camp and the early part of the pre-season in the wake of his off-season trade demand.

The three-time All-Star guard made a surprise return to the team last Monday.

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Once he cleared the NBA health and safety protocols, Simmons was eligible to practice and hit the court on Sunday.

The Sixers open the season on Wednesday at New Orleans and play their home opener on Friday against Brooklyn.

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Rivers said he’d “wait and see” when asked about Simmons’ status for the season opener.

“Just watching him, I thought he was in decent shape,” Rivers said.

“Still not, obviously, game shape.”

Simmons, the No.1 pick of the 2016 Draft, was not on the court when practice was open to the media on Sunday, and the Sixers said the guard was expected to talk at some point this week.

The 25-year-old has four years left on his current contract.

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