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The NBA will announce the 2022-23 regular season schedule on August 17 at 3 p.m. One major change is no games will be played on Election Day (November 8) as the league wants to encourage everyone to vote in the mid-term elections.
It’s a smart and progressive move. What else is new? On to the leaked games. The Philadelphia 76ers will open their slate on the road against the Boston Celtics on October 18. It will be part of an opening night double-header, followed by the Golden State Warriors hosting the Los Angeles Lakers (via The Athletic’s Shams Charania).
The Sixers will welcome Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to Wells Fargo Center on October 20. And travel to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks on Christmas Day (via James Harden).
That’s a brutal start for Philly. And a good test to see how they stack up in the new-look Eastern Conference. But when can everyone expect to see the Brooklyn Nets? According to Scoop B. Robinson, the first Nets-Sixers matchup is slated for November 22 in Philadelphia. The second one is January 25 at Wells Fargo Center, then the scene shifts to Barclays Center for the final two contests: February 11 and April 9.
Remember, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently revealed that Ben Simmons intends to suit up this season. That means the first time Sixers fans can officially boo him in a regular-season game is November 22. Should be a fun one!
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Simmons, Sixers Settle Grievance Over Back Pay
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Sixers and Simmons settled a grievance over withheld pay from a portion of the games the All-Star guard sat out last season. Financial terms of the settlement agreement are being kept confidential.
Simmons had been trying to recoup nearly $20 million after citing mental health issues for his absence. Meanwhile, the Sixers claimed “breach of contract” since Simmons failed to show up at the start of training camp and then refused to visit a team-mandated doctor. Per Wojnarowski:
The 76ers and Simmons disagreed over the degrees of access that the team and its doctors were allotted to Simmons to diagnose and affirm his mental health, sources said.
Simmons received his full salary for his time spent with the Nets after a Feb. 10 trade, although he never played a game for Brooklyn. Simmons had surgery to repair a disc injury in April and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in late September.
Simmons is expected to make his Brooklyn debut on October 19 when the Nets host the New Orleans Pelicans. Zion Williamson will also play in that one, per Shams Charania.
James Harden ‘Excited’ to Return to Sixers
James Harden inked a two-year, $68.6 million contract, with a player option for the 2022-23 season. The deal was seen as a win-win for both sides as the Sixers look to win a championship. Harden expressed excitement over continuing the journey he started after last year’s trade deadline.
“This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal,” Harden said on July 27. “From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia. I’m excited to build off of last season and I can’t wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey.”
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