Philadelphia 76ers Offer Ben Simmons Max Extension

The Philadelphia 76ers have offered All-Star point guard Ben Simmons a five-year, $170 million contract extension, according to ESPN’S Adrian Wojnarowski.

Both Simmons and 76ers are currently working through contract details. An eventual agreement is expected to occur, ESPN reports. 76ers general manager Elton Brand and Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, have until mid-October to finalize the extension.

Simmons, 22, averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game for the 76ers last season. Being a 6’10” point guard, Simmons has a unique skill set that few other players in the NBA have. Simmons is a uniquely gifted scorer in the paint, especially around the rim. Simmons is also a spectacular ball handler and passer, much like Magic Johnson was.

The biggest knock on Simmons game at this point is his lack of an ability to shoot a basketball. For his career, Simmons is a 0% shooter from three-point range. If you look at Simmons shooting splits, he shot 70.1% at the rim during the 2018-2019 NBA season and 42.7% from 3-10 ft away from the basket. The further you move away from the basket, the worse it gets for Simmons. During the 2018-2019 NBA season, Simmons shot 28.7% from 10-16 ft away from the basket and 10.5% from 16-23 ft away from the basket. Simmons then shot 0/6 on three-point attempts. The lack of shooting ability by Simmons allows teams in the playoffs to leave him isolated around the three-point line, often causing Simmons to struggle to score.

Ben Simmons 2018-2019 shot chart

Regardless, Brand has determined that the 76ers core going forward will revolve around Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Article by Jason Hirsch