Ben Simmons is a professional Australian basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association. His net worth is estimated to be around $8 million.
Ben Simmons started professional basketball six years ago and signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, which is set to expire soon. The deal with the Sixers was worth $177.2 million and was signed in 2019. He earned roughly $26 million per year with the 76ers for three years. A $20 million per year deal is expected with another basketball team. He recently signed a $20 million brand endorsement contract with Nike, which has catapulted his earnings to $40 million.
His earnings were seriously affected when he was ordered to pay a fine of $227,613 for every game he missed with the Sixers in the 2021-22 preseason games. Hence his total net worth dropped to $8 million.
Philadelphia 76ers Irked By Ben’s Absence
A post shared by Ben Simmons (@bensimmons)
The Australian-born 6 ft-10 guard started playing basketball at seven, representing the Newcastle Hunters under-12 team. In 2013 he moved to Florida and played basketball for the Montverde Academy. He entered the professional league in 2016 and signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to Guardian, Ben was compared to the legendary Lebron James when he first showcased his talent in the game season. By the end of the second season (2018-19), the Sixers gave a $177 million contract extension for five years. This was despite his disappearance from the first NBA season due to a foot injury.
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According to Complex, the Sixers were supposed to pay $33 million for the 2021-22 season. During the offseason, he had already received an advance of $16.5 million. In mid-November 2022, fines were imposed for his lack of consistency in the game and constant absence. The Philadelphia 76ers refused to pay any check to the star player due to his negligence and arrogance. The amount tuning to $8.2 million was put in an escrow account, and the fines were collected from this account for every game he missed. Simmons then asked for a trade from the Sixers while refusing to appear for any basketball training camp.
The Rift Between Ben And The Sixers
A post shared by Ben Simmons (@bensimmons)
According to CBS Sports, a trade talk turned sour during the 2021 season when the Sixers were ready to get James Harden into the team. He was later traded to Brooklyn Nets, and this incident didn’t go down well with Ben, who thought another player could easily replace him. During the postseason, his performance dwindled against Washington in the first-round season. It deteriorated further during the second round with Atlanta. In a series of seven games, he did not attempt a single shot in the fourth quarter of five games. Just before the Olympic play, Ben left the team and focused on enhancing his skills. The Sixers again opened trade talks with a high asking price against Simmons.
In September 2021, he refused to appear for training sessions and openly talked about being traded for another team. He missed the Philadelphia 76ers media day on purpose, and another training camp showcased his absence between 28th September to 3rd October 2021. The Sixers expressed their frustration during a team meeting regarding his continuous contract violation. On 1st October 2021, the Sixers decided not to pay him his dues, amounting to $8.25 million. Instead, they set up an escrow account to deduct fine charges from the withheld remuneration for every game missed.
Fined To The Tune Of $227,613 For His Absence
A post shared by Ben Simmons (@bensimmons)
The preseason games opened on 4th October 2021 against the Toronto Raptors and followed with a second game on 7th October. Simmons did not appear for both games and was fined $227,613 for each game. Consequently, he missed the other preseason games, including Detroit’s finals. Although he reluctantly returned to the team due to the monetary punishment on 11th October, the whole season ended up getting fined. He was booted from practice and suspended from one game after his return due to malpractice and ill temperament toward his teammates. The 21-22 campaign began without Ben against the Pelicans in New Orleans; he was suspended.
He appealed under the contract clause of mental health, and the fines levied against him by the Sixers were stopped temporarily. It resumed when he did not report to the mental health resources offered to him by the team. Instead, the professional NBA player sought help from NBPA, thus violating the terms of the contract again. He refused to share details of the treatment with the Sixers leading to more fines. It led to the Philadelphia 76ers now reprimanding him over missed strength training, film, and practice sessions. Things escalated, and Simmons refused to play for the team again. His agent Rich Paul tried to intervene with the Sixers but to no effective conclusion. According to ESPN, the All-star guard was traded for James Harden and transferred to Brooklyn Nets. The contract assures $113.6 million if he remains in top form for the Nets.
Ben Simmons hasn’t played a single game since 20th June 2021, till being traded for the Brooklyn Nets due to mental health issues and recurring back problems. His career is an ongoing controversial mess, and his net worth has plunged to a mere $8 million due to the fines levied during his absence.
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Sources: Guardian, Complex, CBS Sports, ESPN
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