Sixers offer five-year, $170 million contract extension to Ben Simmons
Simmons, 22, was the Sixers' first-overall pick in 2016.
As expected, Ben Simmons will receive a five-year, $170 million contract extension to stay with the 76ers.
The Sixers offered the maximum extension to the point guard and his agent, Rich Paul, and the team are working out details, a source confirmed. ESPN first reported the news. The max extension was originally believes to be $168.2 million. However, it’s actually higher than $170 million due to the new salary cap projections.
The extension, which begins during the 2020-21 season, is reportedly the richest contract for an Australian athlete.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pounder played point-forward during his lone season at LSU in 2015-16.
But the Sixers converted the 2016 first-overall draft pick into a point guard. After missing the entire 2016-17 season, he was named 2018 rookie of the year and garnered his first All-Star appearance this past season.
Simmons is a triple-double machine and one of the NBA’s young superstars, so extending his contract was an easy decision for the ownership group and front office.
The 22-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists this past season. He had 10 triple-doubles this past season and 22 for his career.
He joins Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players with at least 10 triple-double in each of their first two seasons.
Simmons also joined Robertson and another Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson, as the only players to record at least 200 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists through their first 13 playoff games.
He had 221 points, 115 rebounds and 101 assists in 13 playoff appearances. Robertson compiled 381 points, 167 rebounds and 122 assists in his first 13 playoff games. Johnson had 209 points, 129 rebounds and 125 assists.
Back on June 23, 2016, Simmons became the first No. 1 pick taken by the Sixers since 1996, when they took Allen Iverson out of Georgetown. They also selected Doug Collins first overall in 1973. Then the team picked Markelle Fultz No. 1 in 2017.
Simmons was also the third player born in Melbourne, Australia, to be taken first overall in the last 15 years, joining Kyrie Irving (2011) and Andrew Bogut (2005).