The Philadelphia 76ers are making Ben Simmons a priority this summer. Philadelphia has offered a five-year, $170 million dollar contract to stay with the Sixers according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Philadelphia 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, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2019
Simmons was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft and wound up making his NBA debut in the 2017-18 season after recovering from a foot fracture. Simmons immediately made an impact when he returned earning Rookie of the Year honors. He became an All-Star in only his second active season and has averaged 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists in his two on-court seasons.
Philadelphia has spent big this free agency for a team that was a couple of bounces away from a conference finals appearance. The Sixers reportedly will sign Tobias Harris to a $180 million, five-year deal and add Al Horford on a four-year deal that could reach $109 million.
? First Australian NBA All-Star
? 3rd in NBA in Assists (610)
? 3rd in Triple-Doubles (10)
? All of the ?2018/19 @BenSimmons25 Mixtape pic.twitter.com/p0JSUHTNPr
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 29, 2019
Simmons continues to be reluctant to shoot from the perimeter, which continues to be a focal point from his detractors. There are also struggles from the free throw line, both of those the All-Star guard will work to improve on.
If those two things can improve, Simmons has a chance to be one of the most dominant players in the NBA. He has the playmaking, defensive, and rebounding ability to impact the game in different aspects at a very high level.
With the two foundational pieces of the process under extensions and locking in big acquisitions, Philadelphia has a starting five that rivals the best in the league. The 76ers hope this star power will push them into contention to bring an NBA championship to the city of brotherly love for the first time since 1983.
