Ben Simmons has received credit for a year of service for the 2021-22 NBA season in which he held out from the Philadelphia 76ers and was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.
Simmons now has seven official years of service in the NBA despite not playing a single game in 2021-22.
“The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, released late last month ahead of free agency, came with a previously undisclosed side letter indicating Ben Simmons has received credit for a year of service for the season in which he held out from the Philadelphia 76ers and was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets, sources familiar with the matter told ESPN on Wednesday,” Lowe wrote. “Years of service come into play when determining whether players are eligible for maximum contracts of certain sizes and for other benefits.
“Counting the 2021-22 season at issue, Simmons now has seven official years of service in the NBA. Officials from several teams had argued Simmons should not receive credit for the 2021-22 season, sources said.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Simmons was projected to be one of the faces of the NBA just a few years ago. He won the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Award and made three All-Star teams, one All-NBA team and two All-Defensive teams with the Sixers.
However, Simmons never developed a jumper and he’s now considered one of the most overrated players in the league. The lefty missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a holdout with the Sixers and then a back injury with the Nets. Simmons played in just 42 games in 2022-23 with Brooklyn, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
In 317 NBA games, Simmons has made only five 3-pointers. The LSU product signed a massive five-year, $177.2 million maximum rookie contract extension with Philadelphia in 2019. Simmons, 27, will make $37.9 million next season.
The Nets expect Simmons to be healthy when training camp starts.
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