Brooklyn Nets' Ben Simmons Commands More Money Than Nine NBA All-Stars in 2024-25

He continues to be a burden on Brooklyn's books.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

To say that Ben Simmons has not lived up to his five-year $170 million contract he signed back in 2019 may be the biggest understatement in league history. The NBA has never seen a fall off to the extent of Simmons, and unfortunately, Brooklyn is still stuck with him for one more season.

For context, the $40.3 million the Nets are handing him in 2024-25 is a higher number than that of nine NBA All-Stars. Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bam Adebayo, Scottie Barnes, Tyrese Maxey and once-Nets target Donovan Mitchell all make less than the disgraced Simmons.

Only appearing in 15 games last season, his numbers have dropped so vastly that he holds seemingly no trade value. His extensive injury history doesn't help either, chasing away any team that for some reason would have any interest in adding him.

There is one silver lining though.

After this upcoming season concludes, Brooklyn can be done with him, as he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Once he, Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson are inevitably no longer Nets, the remnants of the franchise's failed big three will be wiped away.

A strong candidate to collect DNPs in Jordi Fernandez's first year at the helm, Simmons likely isn't interested in mentoring the younger members of Brooklyn's roster. In late July, Georges Niang unveiled even more of Simmons' previously-known character issues.

In the final year he actually played with the Philadelphia 76ers he was a flop, and in Brooklyn he will be remembered for underwhelming play and an inability to stay healthy.

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