As the Philadelphia 76ers continue to build for the future, they are working to ensure Ben Simmons is a major part of it.
According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers have offered Simmons a five-year maximum contract extension worth roughly $170 million.
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
Wojnarowski added that Simmons' agent Rich Paul and the Sixers are working through the framework of the deal, which Simmons has until November to sign.
Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, missed the entirety of the 2016-17 season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot. Over 160 games in his first two NBA seasons, Simmons has posted averages of 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists, winning 2018 Rookie of the Year and earning his first All-Star selection in 2019.
The Sixers ended a five-year playoff drought in Simmons' rookie season and have posted a combined record of 103-61 in his first two seasons. Philadelphia came just short of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019, losing to the eventual champion Raptors in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Along with the 23-year-old Simmons, All-Star Joel Embiid (25) and Tobias Harris (26) are each a part of the Sixers' long-term plans to continue to rise to prominence in the Eastern Conference.
