Ben Simmons Will Receive Credit For A ‘Year Of Service’ In The NBA Despite Not Playing The Entirety Of The 2021-22 Season

Ben Simmons is set to get credit for having played a year in the NBA for the 2021-22 season despite not suiting up for either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Brooklyn Nets.

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Credit: Brad Penner/USA Today Sports

Ben Simmons is on the Brooklyn Nets, but he is widely considered by fans to have the worst contract currently in the NBA. After he sat out the entirety of the 2021-22 season because of a combination of mental health issues, back issues, and wanting a trade away from the Sixers, he has never gotten back to All-Star levels. 

Simmons’ case was used by many to say that NBA players will struggle to get what they want in a new collective bargaining agreement. But that’s not the case and he is set to be given a year of credit for the season he didn’t suit up at all. 

“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,” wrote Zach Lowe.

Years of service are an important metric for NBA players as they are used to determine how much salary a player is eligible for from future teams. Ben Simmons would have seven years of service counting this one, something that officials from other teams had reportedly argued against. The fact that he got this concession, which is reported to be an exception, is a big win for the National Basketball Players Association. 


The Brooklyn Nets Haven’t Given Up On Ben Simmons

Despite him averaging just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets in 40 games last season, the team hasn’t given up on him. According to reports, there is still hope that he will return to the form that saw him become a three-time NBA All-Star

“I think the hope is that he returns to that (All-Star) level of play,” Nets GM Sean Marks said. “I mean, if he was 35 years old, I wouldn’t honestly be able to tell you that. 

“But I think knowing that he’s mid-20s and he has still hopefully not reached his prime, we’ve gotta make sure he can get back out there and get back to that form. And hopefully, we see his game even evolve past that.”

Ben Simmons reached a settlement to get his salary for the time he sat out with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he could change the narrative about himself if he gets back into peak shape. His combination of athleticism, defense, and playmaking is unique, and at 26, Simmons could put this whole episode behind him by merely fulfilling his potential. 

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Divij Kulkarni is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He has covered the NBA and the English Premier League, with 4 years of experience in creating sports content. Finding exciting and intriguing content about all things NBA is both his job and his passion. Divij loves the Dallas Mavericks and can be regularly observed getting emotional during games. Outside of basketball, he enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, consuming copious amounts of movies and TV, and spending time with his dog, Olivia. Expertise: NBA, Historical Sports ResearchFavorite Team: Dallas MavericksFeatured On HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, Secret Base, MSNPrevious Work: Tribuna
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