Chandler Parsons announced his retirement from the NBA last year, but didn’t hold back when asked for his opinion on 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 salary.
In 2019, Simmons signed a five-year, $170 million max contract with the 76ers. But Parsons predicted that sooner or later Simmons will be terminated from his massive contract and spend the rest of his career making a league minimum.
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Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons before a game against the New York Knicks on February 13, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Parsons recognized the talent that the 26-year-old Simmons has displayed from time to time throughout his career. The problem is Simmons’ lack of consistency, Parsons said.
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Parsons also believes that Simmons is struggling to overcome a mental block, one of the reasons Simmons’ level of play has declined.
Simmons missed the entire 2021-2022 season for what he said were mental health reasons, missing a significant number of games due to injury since joining Brooklyn.
Simmons has been trying to silence critics who believe he doesn’t live up to the money he makes. But those voices got louder during a game last month against the Knicks.
In the first quarter, Cam Johnson passed to Simmons, who had a line drive to the basket. Instead of shooting at the rim, he passed the ball to Nic Claxton, who missed the shot.
The play brought back memories of the infamous moment Simmons let a wide-open dunk slip by in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons dribbles during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 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.
Somehow he’s gone from one of the brightest young stars in the league to barely playable in just a few years. He is averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and a career-low 6.1 assists in 26.3 minutes while appearing in 42 games.
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Simmons is still owed more than $78 million over the next two years. The Nets could explore a buy as Parsons suggested.