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Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is the latest NBA player to receive a max contract. ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke some more details about Simmons' five-year, $170 million deal:
Details on Ben Simmons' five-year, $170M contract with the Sixers: No option in final year and a 15 percent trade kicker, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 16, 2019
Simmons also has Designated Rookie Extension language in his contract that would elevate his compensation if he earns a spot on one of the All-NBA teams in 2019-20, per source. https://t.co/OPOyN8IPi8
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 16, 2019
It looks like Simmons got a pretty good deal with the Sixers. Besides getting paid like a legitimate superstar, he can earn even more by proving he is one of the top 15 players in the league next season.
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Simmons' deal drew mixed reviews from fans. There is no doubt that the Australian guard has the athleticism, length, and basketball IQ to become an elite point guard with the height of a forward. However, the fact remains that in two years, Simmons still has shown no ability to shoot the ball from deep.
In two seasons, Simmons has shot a total of 17 three-pointers. He has made none of them. Despite the absence of any range whatsoever, the LSU product managed to average 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists last season.
The Sixers will bank on Simmons either developing at least a mediocre jump shot or being able to surround him with shooters to make up for Simmons being a nonthreat on the perimeter.
Philadelphia has now locked in its core players. Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid are all under contract for at least four seasons together. If Simmons and Embiid can develop their gams even further, Philadelphia will be a contender for years to come.
