In a move that has been anticipated all offseason long, the Sixers officially retain the services of 2016’s number one overall pick, Ben Simmons.
The Aussie was heading into the final year of his rookie deal and the Sixers saw no need to let him play out that season and run the risk of losing him to another team. 2017’s ‘Rookie of the Year followed up that campaign by posting an average of 16.9 points, 8.8 boards, and 7.7 assists per game, growing every year he’s in the league.
Those numbers are simply phenomenal and if you still weren’t sold on him, he’s one of only three players in NBA history to score 1,000 points, bag 1,000 boards and dish 1,000 assists within his first two years in the NBA.
Simmons has become a well-rounded player who has helped push the Sixers to within inches of an NBA Finals appearance. There is certainly room for growth, especially surrounding his non-existant jumpshot, but that doesn’t take away from the elite talent that we’re witnessing develop under the guidance of Brett Brown.
Simmons becomes the second player to sign a max deal this offseason, joining Tobias Harris to form a terrifying three-headed monster that includes Joel Embiid.
