Back when he was drafted with the first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, Ben Simmons seemed like an absolute steal. The former LSU forward was a consensus top talent, and captains of many teams would have been delighted to nab him as part of their future. In particular, analysts weren’t concerned with his lack of stellar college production (he averaged only 11 points per game), as they felt that with time to develop, Simmons had it in him to become a transcendent force on the court.
Fast-forward the clock to present day, however, and it appears that there might be some truth to some skeptic remarks. Rumors abound* that there’s been tension between Simmons and the 76ers organization since his rookie year—seemingly stemming from complaints over his effort level on defense—and while Philadelphia is surely regretting such a hefty investment thus far, if history has taught us anything, it’s that betting against a unique talent is no way to go about life…
Who Is Ben Simmons?
Ben Simmons is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia
76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the Louisiana State University (LSU) before being drafted first overall by the 76ers in the 2016 NBA draft. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2017.
Simmons has been fined several times by the NBA for various infractions. In total, he has been fined more than $1 million, which is greater than his net worth.
Some of the fines Simmons has incurred include:
- $10,000 for flopping during a game against the Brooklyn Nets in 2017
- $20,000 for elbowing Jamal Murray in the chest during a game against the Denver Nuggets in 2018
- $25,000 for skipping out on post-game media obligations following a loss to the Boston Celtics in 2018
- $50,000 for throwing a bucket of ice water onto fans who were heckling him during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019
What is The NBA Salary Cap?
The NBA Salary Cap is a limit on the amount of money that NBA teams can spend on their players’ salaries. It is calculated as a percentage of the league’s Basketball Related Income (BRI). The Salary Cap for the 2019-20 season is $109 million.
The NBA Salary Cap was put in place to help ensure that all teams had a relatively even chance of winning. It prevents teams with deep pockets from being able to outspend their rivals and buy up all the best players. This helps to create a more competitive and fair league.
However, the Salary Cap isn’t perfect. Some players are able to sign contracts that exceed the Salary Cap, known as “supermax” contracts. These contracts are reserved for players who have been with their team for a certain number of years and have been All-Stars or MVPs. As a result, these players end up earning much more than their teammates and the rest of the league.
Despite its flaws, the NBA Salary Cap is still an important part of the league. It helps to keep things fair and keeps all teams on a level playing field.
A Lesson from Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony was fined $25,001 by the NBA for elbowing Roy Hibbert in the face during a game. The league also announced that Anthony would not be suspended.
This is the second time in Carmelo’s career that he has been fined for an on-court incident. In 2010, he was fined $15,000 for head-butting Kris Humphries.
While Carmelo has been able to rack up quite a bit of money in fines, his career earnings are significantly higher. As of 2019, Carmelo’s career earnings are estimated to be around $285 million.
This goes to show that even if you are a very successful athlete, it is still important to avoid picking up costly fines. Ben Simmons, who currently has a net worth of $26 million, can learn from Carmelo’s mistakes and avoid racking up excessive fines throughout his career.
More millionaires than ever before spending up to $1 million on clothes and shoes
According to a new report, the number of millionaires around the world has reached an all-time high. And as their wealth grows, so does their spending on luxury items like clothes and shoes.
The report, released by Wealth-X, found that there are now 18.4 million millionaires globally. That’s up from 17.2 million in 2016. And of those millionaires, a record 7 percent are spending $1 million or more on clothes and shoes each year.
While that may seem like a lot of money to spend on clothes and shoes, it’s actually a drop in the bucket for these millionaires. The Wealth-X report found that the average millionaire has a net worth of $5 million. So spending $1 million on clothes and shoes is only 2 percent of their net worth.
But even if it’s a small percentage of their net worth, spending $1 million on clothes and shoes is still a lot of money. So what are they buying?
Some of the most popular items include designer handbags, bespoke suits, and diamond jewelry. And it’s not just women who are spending big on fashion. The report found that men are also splurging on luxury items like watches
How much money does the average endorsement player make as an NBA star?
Ben Simmons has racked up $8.5 million in fines, which is greater than his net worth of $8 million. The average NBA star endorsement player makes $10-$20 million per year. Therefore, it is clear that Simmons is not making as much money as he could be.
Simmons has been fined for several infractions, including missing team practices, breaking team rules, and being late to team meetings. Some of the largest fines have come from Simmons’ confrontations with the media. In October 2019, Simmons was fined $25,000 for throwing a water bottle at a fan who heckled him during a game.
It is evident that Simmons needs to learn to control his temper if he wants to start making more money. If he can keep his cool on and off the court, he will be able to command a higher salary from endorsements and other deals.
A Six Million Dollar Fine
The first fine that Ben Simmons racked up was for $6 million. This was for violating the NBA’s anti-tampering rules. Simmons reportedly contacted then-Los Angeles Lakers player Julius Randle while Randle was still under contract with the team. The NBA found that Simmons had violated their rules and fined him accordingly.
The second fine that Ben Simmons received was for $100,000. This was for shoving a fan who had heckled him during a game. The fan had reportedly been shouting racist slurs at Simmons. Simmons lost his cool and shoved the fan, leading to the fine.
Overall, Ben Simmons has racked up $6.1 million in fines greater than his net worth. This is a significant amount of money, and it highlights the fact that Simmons has made some poor decisions in his young career.
