Ex-NBA player suggests Ben Simmons be paid the league's veteran minimum going forward
Simmons is a three-time NBA All-Star
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chandler Parsons announced his retirement from the NBA last year, but he did not hold back when he was asked to give his opinion about a player still in the league.
During an appearance on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back," Parsons suggested that Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons should be paid the league minimum.
In 2019, Simmons signed a five-year, $170 million max contract with the 76ers. However, Parsons predicted that, sooner or later, Simmons will be bought out of his massive deal and spend the rest of his career making the league minimum.
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Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons before a game against the New York Knicks Feb.13, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Parsons did acknowledge that Simmons has been able to put his talent on full display from time to time over the course of his career. "He has all the tools physically to be a successful player in this league, and I've seen flashes," Parsons said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, Parsons thinks Simmons is struggling to overcome a mental hurdle.
"It’s a strong mental block in my opinion, where he just can’t overcome it. We almost have to, we have to stop talking about it, we have to take him for what he is. I think eventually it’s gonna lead to a buyout, and he’s most likely a minimum player for the rest of his career," Parsons noted.
Simmons missed the entire 2021-2022 season for what he said were mental health reasons, and he missed a significant amount of games due to injury since joining Brooklyn.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Simmons has been trying to silence critics who believe he is failing to live up to the money he’s making. But those voices grew louder during a game last month against the Knicks.
In the first quarter, Cam Johnson passed to Simmons, who had a lane to the basket. Instead of finishing at the hoop, he passed the ball to Nic Claxton, who missed the shot.
The play brought back memories of the infamous moment when Simmons passed up a wide-open dunk in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans Oct. 19, 2022, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
It's hard to argue with Parsons. Simmons has been a shell of himself this season when he plays.
He has somehow gone from one of the brightest young stars in the league to barely playable in just a few years. He is averaging a career-low 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 26.3 minutes while appearing in 42 games.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Simmons is still owed over $78 million over the next two years. The Nets could explore a buyout as Parsons suggested.