Sixers Strengthen Core, Agree 5-Year $170 Million Deal With Point Guard

The Philadelphia 76ers have gone about securing the core of their team this summer despite losing two key players in Jimmy Butler and JJ Reddick. Ben Simmons is the latest to commit his long-term future to the franchise after reaching an agreement over a five-year maximum contract extension.

Simmons is said to have signed a five-year deal worth $170 million, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who is quoting Rich Paul, the point guard’s agent. The deal is the biggest signed by an Australian athlete and it will make him the highest earner from his country in the NBA when he overtakes veteran center Andrew Bogut.

The 22-year-old, who was the No.1 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, is in the final year of his rookie deal, which will earn him around $8.1 million this season. But, according to NBA.com, his salary will more than double next season with the guard set to earn around $29.3 million and it will rise to $39 million in the final year of his new deal during the 2024-25 campaign.

Sixers general manager was not willing to wait until the October deadline he had set to agree an extension with Simmons and has got the deal over the line well in advance. The 76ers now have their core players signed on long-term deals with Joel Embiid and Al Horford, who joined from Boston Celtics this summer tied up until 2023 and Tobias Harris recently signing a max deal until 2024.

Simmons may be the pride of Australia in the NBA, but the point guard could face criticism from his country after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers star is planning to snub the chance to represent Australia in the upcoming FIBA basketball world cup. He was expected to be part of the national team but could now choose to focus completely on preparing for the next NBA campaign.

“Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is 'doubtful' to play for Australia in the FIBA World Cup this summer, his agent Rich Paul tells ESPN. Simmons is more likely now to spend his full offseason preparing only for the Sixers season -- free of national team responsibilities,” Wojnarowski wrote.