Writer: Brandon Apter
Report: Ben Simmons’ camp has ‘no issue’ with Sixers, Philadelphia market
Published22 May 2016
By: Brandon Apter, managing editor 
The Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram debate will go on for the next month until the Sixers decide who they plan to select at the 2016 NBA Draft in New York City on June 23. On May 17, we reported that Simmons had preferred the Lakers as a landing spot in the draft in hopes of getting a better shoe deal offer from Nike.
The early strategy from Simmons and his Klutch Sports Group representation was believed to be a desire to sign a shoe deal before the draft lottery, but they aren’t satisfied with the Nike offer, sources said. They’re hoping that if the Lakers land the top overall pick – which they have a 19.9 percent chance of doing – Nike will move closer to matching adidas’ offer.
This report was before the lottery, which was won by the Philadelphia 76ers. A handful of people took the shoe deal story as Simmons not wanting to come to Philadelphia, but Olgun Uluc, lead basketball writer for Fox Sports Australia tweets that Simmons has no issue with the Sixers or the market.
Was told by a source close to Ben Simmons' camp, before the lottery, that they have no issue with the market in Philadelphia
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) May 18, 2016
This is good news for the Sixers, who are reportedly leaning heavily towards selecting Simmons over Brandon Ingram in the draft. Uluc later tweets that the lottery implications had nothing to do with Simmons holding off on signing a shoe deal.
Simmons averaged 19.2 points at 11.8 rebounds per game this season while Duke's Brandon Ingram 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Ingram shot 44.2 percent from the field while Simmons shot 56 percent.
