Philadelphia 76ers: Locking down their starting lineup ...
bleacherreport.com
Ben Simmons has agreed to a max contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers that will pay him $170 million over five years.
Rich Paul, Simmons' agent, confirmed the deal to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium on Monday. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first reported the team's plans to offer him a max extension in early July.
The 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick was heading into the final year of his rookie deal and was set to make $8.1 million in 2019-20.
Simmons has proved to be a game-changing player on the court, winning Rookie of the Year in 2017-18 before earning his first All-Star selection in 2018-19. He continually shows the ability to fill up the stat sheet, averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game this last season.
The only other players to average 16-8-7 last year were Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, per Basketball Reference.
His numbers over his first two seasons put him with even more exclusive company: Ben Simmons is one of only three players in NBA history to score more than 1,000 points, grab more than 1,000 rebounds, and dish out more than 1,000 assists over his first two seasons in the league. The other two players in this elite club are Oscar Roberston, and LeBron James.
The all-around production helped him rank 16th in the NBA in value over replacement player this past season and 11th during his first year, leading the 76ers in both seasons.
Of course, he still has room for improvement, especially with his shooting after he's hit zero three-pointers in 17 career attempts. His inconsistency was also a major issue in the playoffs. He averaged just 11.6 points and 4.9 assists per game in the second-round loss to the Toronto Raptors this postseason.
Simmons will need to be more aggressive against elite opponents if he wants to help Philadelphia take the next step forward.
However, the latest deal solidifies the 76ers' core, with Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Al Horford all under contract for at least the next four years.
While the team now owes a lot of money to this foursome, it will all be worth it if Philadelphia can bring home an NBA title. <<
Rounding out the 76ers starting 5
The 5th projected 2019 Sixers starter is Josh Richardson aquired in the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat, and he comes at a discount with a cap hit of less than $11 million for the next two years. The 25-year-old shooting guard has a player option for the 2021-22 season worth just north of $11.615 million, and he’s likely to command a large payday on the open market. The Sixers have time before they need to worry about the potential to keep Richardson, but for at least the next two seasons, their starting lineup appears set.
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- Eric L. - |
