The Philadelphia 76ers made several commendable moves this offseason, but a signing from five years ago continues to impact the outlook of the front office.

The Sixers inked three-time All-Star Ben Simmons to a five-year, $177 million in the 2019 offseason, which he is entering the final year of with the Brooklyn Nets. The 28-year-old is set to earn $40.3 million this season (one of the highest totals in the league). 

Understandably, Bleacher Report named the contract given by Philadelphia to Simmons as the worst in the NBA.

“Simmons is in the final year of his 2019 rookie-scale extension (via the Philadelphia 76ers), and his salary makes him one of the league’s higher-paid players,” B/R’s Eric Pincus wrote. “The Nets took him on as part of the 2022 James Harden trade. After missing all of the 2021-22 season—Simmons has back issues—he has played in 57 games over two years for the Nets.”

Not only is the salary expensive on its own, but Simmons barely appears on the court in recent years. Combine these factors with his lack of fit with the Nets’ timeline, and it’s easy to agree with Pincus’ opinion.

On a positive note for the Sixers’ front office, they allowed the No. 6 player on the list to walk in free agency. Bleacher Report named Tobias Harris’ two-year, $52 million deal with the Detroit Pistons as the NBA’s sixth worst.

“Now, the team is full-on rebuilding. Whatever minutes Simmons provides the team may not matter much as the franchise turns its attention to player development and the draft while waiting for Simmons’ salary to finally come off the books,” Pincus concluded.

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