The Philadelphia 76ers were unable to bring back Jimmy Butler on a max contract this offseason, but they have wasted no time cutting an equally massive check for another one of their players.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Sixers have offered Ben Simmons a five-year, $170 million max extension, and Simmons is expected to accept once details are sorted out.
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
Under new salary cap projections, Ben Simmons' maximum contract total has crept slightly higher: $170M. https://t.co/44s3FLz1rf
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2019
Simmons is currently playing on a four-year, $26.6 million rookie contract and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent following next season. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game last year.
The 76ers are now committed to Simmons and Joel Embiid as their core for years to come, with Embiid currently signed through the 2022-2023 season. They also added Al Horford to their frontcourt this week, and they could be the favorites in the Eastern Conference depending upon where Kawhi Leonard ends up.
