The 76ers have offered Ben Simmons a five-year max contract extension for $168m

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers have offered a five-year $168m max contract to point-forward Ben Simmons. The rumors about this began to really pick up once Jimmy Butler was on his way to Miami and the team had landed Tobias Harris on a five-year deal worth $180m Sunday.

As the details here get ironed out, we can expect an agreement in the near future. It locks into place a core of Joel Embiid, Josh Richardson, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Al Horford. It’s not the way many expected this to play out a few days ago. But at least this part, offering a max to Ben, was never really a surprise.

Elton Brand the team’s GM has hinted about what he felt Simmons is worth in the past. By choosing not to offer Jimmy Butler the max contract as has been reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, we can infer the Sixers wanted to invest in Ben Simmons as the team’s lead ball-handler and also prioritize the team’s culture moving forwards. It also makes for one massive starting unit with loads of defensive potential.

Simmons will play for the Australian National team this summer for the Boomers. The former Rookie of the Year made an All-Star team this year and is still just 22 years old.

Update: According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Ben’s total number will actually come in around $170 million.

Under new salary cap projections, Ben Simmons’ maximum contract total has crept slightly higher: $170M.

— @wojespn