AP source: Simmons, 76ers agree to $170 million, 5-year deal

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AP source: Simmons, 76ers agree to $170 million, 5-year deal

2019-07-16 02:37 Last Updated At：02:50

The Philadelphia 76ers and star guard Ben Simmons have agreed to a $170 million, five-year contract extension, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The max deal is the latest big commitment by a team expected to make a serious push at its first NBA championship since 1983.

Simmons, 22, will make about $8.1 million this season, the last of his four-year rookie deal. His salary for the next season will jump to about $29.3 million and rise to nearly $39 million in 2024-25, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday because the contract is not official.

The deal solidifies the 76ers' core for the next few seasons. All-Star Joel Embiid and Al Horford are under contract though 2023, Tobias Harris through 2024 and now Simmons through 2025. Horford got a $109 million, four-year deal and Embiid agreed last season to a $147 million, five-year deal.

Sixers general manager Elton Brand had until the middle of October to reach a max deal with Simmons but wasted little time in locking up another cornerstone player.

Simmons was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2016. He made his NBA debut in the 2017-18 season and was Rookie of the Year. He was an All-Star for the first time last season. He has averaged 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists in his two seasons.

"I think I want to work on everything and continue to let my game grow," Simmons said at the end of the season. "I think the one thing I got a lot better at this season was leadership."

The Sixers were knocked out of the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight season.

Philadelphia is 101-58 in regular-season games when Simmons plays. He has had 22 triple-doubles in the last two seasons, tied for third most in the league with Denver's Nikola Jokic and trailing Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (59) and the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (26).

Simmons also has had 80 double-doubles over the last two seasons.

But he missed all 11 3-point attempts his rookie season and was 0 for 6 last season, a combination of an awkward shooting form and a hesitancy to keep shooting shots he can't make. Defenses sagged on Simmons daring him to shoot because the speedy All-Star can't do much outside the paint.

"I don't think it's taking shots just to take them," Simmons said. "I think it's just being aggressive and doing my job. I don't think it's any certain shot. But when you give me the ball, I'm able to make plays."

Harris, who re-signed with the Sixers this summer on a $180 million, five-year contract, recently worked out with Simmons in Los Angeles and found him dedicated to improving his shot.

"Everybody was trying to figure out why I was guarding him at the 3-point line, but it was really because he hit two of them," Harris said. "When I dared him to shoot two of them, he hit two in a row. That's why I was there. He's made big improvements on his game. His jump shot is looking really good and he has the confidence to shoot."

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Sanders crashes out of Dakar Rally contention and Al-Attiyah reclaims car lead

BISHA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Dakar Rally front-runner Daniel Sanders crashed and fell out of motorbike title contention and Nasser Al-Attiyah snatched back the car lead in the Saudi desert on Wednesday.

Sanders broke his left collarbone and sternum jumping a dune 138 kilometers into the 368-kilometer second half of a marathon stage to Bisha. The defending champion continued but slower and within 30 kilometers his six-minute overnight lead was gone.

The Australian's KTM finished 28 minutes behind stage 10 winner Adrien van Beveren's Honda and he dropped from first overall to fourth, more than 17 minutes back, two minutes off the podium.

That left the title to be decided between new leader Ricky Brabec and Luciano Benavides, second and third on the stage. The American's Honda and Argentine's KTM were separated overall by 56 seconds ahead of, effectively, a two stage shootout. The final stage on Saturday is usually a ceremonial ride.

Brabec won the Dakar in 2020 and 2024 while Benavides has never won; best placing was fourth last year.

Al-Attiyah has a sixth Dakar triumph in sight.

The dunes specialist from Qatar stamped his authority on the sandy special to finish second to Mathieu Serradori, who gave South African manufacturer Century its first Dakar stage win.

Serradori won his second career stage by six minutes.

The Fords of Nani Roma (first overnight), Carlos Sainz (second) and Mattias Ekström (fifth) were the biggest losers.

Ekström was first to the checkpoint at 91 kilometers but moments later suffered a mechanical problem. Roma lost his way and dropped 10 minutes just before passing 200 kilometers. Sainz also made a navigation error in the soft sand.

“I'm knackered, my back hurts, I suffered a lot today,” Roma said. “But that's part of the game.”

Also, Toyota's Henk Lategan, fourth overnight, ran out of fuel and made a navigation error.

Al-Attiyah grabbed the provisional overall lead about 200 kilometers into the 420-kilometer special and topped a Dacia 2-3-4 stage finish with Sébastien Loeb and Lucas Moraes.

“My head and body have taken a real beating,” Al-Attiyah said. “But we really attacked from start to finish. Fabian (Lurquin, navigator) did a great job and we can feel both happy and lucky because it was really hard.”

Overall, Al-Attiyah earned his biggest lead yet, over Lategan by 12 minutes, Roma by nearly 13 and Loeb by 23. Ekström and Sainz fell more than 34 minutes back.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing