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Ben Simmons’ relationship with Philadelphia 76ers fans has never been more tenuous. There have always been concerns about his shooting, of course, but concern quickly morphed into contempt for many when his free throw woes and unwillingness to call his own number helped contribute to an early playoff exit.
Now, a growing and vocal contingent of the Philly faithful is doing its best to run the former No. 1 overall pick out of town.
Something that gets lost in this strange, new reality is the other side of the coin. The whole of the basketball world knows that Sixers fans and hoop pundits have been working overtime, dreaming up trade scenarios involving Simmons. But how does Simmons feel?
Is he keen on working with the Sixers to fix his shot so he can help the team take the next step? Or, does the Aussie floor general prefer a fresh start with a new franchise and a fanbase that doesn’t curse the ground he walks on?
A reported real estate transaction involving Simmons has some people believing he’s ready for a change of scenery.
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Simmons Reportedly Buys Massive LA Mansion
According to a report from Dirt, the 24-year-old Simmons is the new owner of a $17.5 million luxury mansion “set deep within Kardashian territory,” i.e. the gated community of Hidden Hills, California. It’s a neighborhood that is said to be home to people like Drake, Lil Wayne, Lori Loughlin, Matthew Stafford, Dwyane Wade and a slew of Kardashians.
It’s also approximately 2,744 miles away from the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. So, if skipping town and hanging with A-listers is Simmons’ goal, it’s definitely the place to be.
Per the report, the property was never actually listed on the open market but was actively being shopped as a $20 million “whisper listing” by power realtors Josh and Matt Altman of The Altman Brothers. Stephen Sweeney of SGS Estates reportedly co-repped Simmons alongside Keller Williams’ Bre Tiesi.
YouTuber Enes Yilmazer featured the house in a video tour last week.
The modern farmhouse-style estate is situated on a 1.5-acre lot and boasts 12,000 square feet of living space. That includes seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
It also includes a 6,000-pound floating fireplace and a pair of custom metal chandeliers, which reportedly retailed for well over $100,000. And those are but a few of the mansion’s swanky features.
Simmons to the Lakers?
Although his reported purchasing of a massive, LA-area mansion undoubtedly will have some fans thinking he is Lakers-bound, that pairing is somewhat problematic. The Lakers may covet a third star to team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but they’re also in dire need of shooting.
Last season, the Lakers ranked just 21st league-wide in three-point percentage, hitting on 35.4% of their long-range attempts. Meanwhile, they ranked in the bottom three in foul shooting at 73.9%. Betting on Simmons to help boost those numbers is probably ill-advised.
Moreover, putting together a trade package that will simultaneously entice Philly, match Simmons’ massive salary number and actually improve the Lakers’ title prospects could be difficult.
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