The Philadelphia 76ers and star point guard Ben Simmons are nearing a max contract extension.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Philly has “offered a five-year, $168M maximum contract extension to Ben Simmons, and the Sixers and agent Rich Paul are expected to work through the details toward an eventual agreement.”
Wojnarowski later noted the contract will be for $170 million under new salary-cap projections.
The 22-year-old continued to progress in his second season, averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game as well as shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 60 percent from the charity stripe.
While Simmons continues to struggle with his jumper, he showed a greater willingness to attempt perimeter shots during the regular season. That disappeared in the postseason, however, and remains the biggest focal point of his detractors.
The LSU product is arguably a serviceable jumper away from being one of the most dominant players in the NBA. He continues to impact the game as a playmaker, rebounder and defender and was the one player in the team’s Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the Toronto Raptors to slow down Kawhi Leonard, if only slightly.
With this extension, the pairing of Simmons and Joel Embiid appears set to remain together for the long haul in Philadelphia. The duo has already led the organization to consecutive postseason appearances, though the goal now is an NBA championship.
It’s also a major vote of confidence from the Sixers and an indication they believe Simmons will continue to improve. The narrative hasn’t changed—without a reliable jumper, he will be an offensive liability during the postseason, hurting the team’s floor spacing and allowing opponents to help off him.
But he’s an impact player in every other facet of the game. The sky is the limit for Simmons.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
