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Is the 28-Year-Old No. 1 Pick Facing Unemployment? Insider: Ben Simmons to Be Pursued as Minimum-Sal

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Is Ben Simmons Set to Drop from $40M Salary to Minimum Wage? According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, the 28-year-old will be a veteran minimum-salary target for title contenders in this year's free agency. Though injuries have stripped him of his game-changing ability, Simmons can still serve as a versatile bench contributor.

From No. 1 Pick to Minimum-Salary Prospect

The 2016 first overall pick missed his entire rookie season (2016-17) with a foot injury but burst onto the scene in 2017-18, averaging 15.8 Pts/8.1 Reb/8.2 Ast/1.7 Stl/0.9 Blk in 81 games. He outshone Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum to win Rookie of the Year.

Is the 28-Year-Old No. 1 Pick Facing Unemployment? Insider: Ben Simmons to Be Pursued as Minimum-Sal Unemployment 第1张

In 2019, Simmons signed a 5-year, $170M extension with the 76ers, but his career derailed after a controversial 2021 Eastern Semifinals Game 7 loss to the Hawks—his refusal to take an open layup became the flashpoint. He requested a trade that September, citing mental health concerns, and back issues have plagued his performance since.

Steep Decline in Production

Simmons signed a buyout with the Nets in 2024-25, joining the Clippers on a $750K deal. In 18 games off LA's bench, he averaged career-lows of 2.9 Pts/3.8 Reb/3.1 Ast in 16.4 MPG.


Though he earned ~$40M this season, his $170M contract has expired. If Simmons accepts a minimum deal, multiple contenders are expected to pursue the former All-Star for his defensive versatility and playmaking—provided he can stay healthy.


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