Where in the world is Ben Simmons? The Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard has been MIA since training camp opened earlier this month.
And anybody who follows NBA news very closely is well aware Simmons wants out of Philadelphia. At least that is what his camp is saying.
But will Ben Simmons magically reappear from his holdout when the Sixers open the regular season on Oct. 20 at the New Orleans Pelicans? NJ online sportsbooks have yet to post any lines on such a scenario.
However, no matter where Simmons ends up playing (the trade rumor mill has been spinning since the end of last season), there are several player props up on the board.
So since Simmons is keeping everybody waiting, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at these props.
Ben Simmons at the foul line
We’ll just cut to the chase here. Simmons is not a good foul shooter as his career average is 59.7% from the line.
And in last season’s NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series versus the Atlanta Hawks, his numbers were even worse. During the seven-game series, which Philadelphia lost, Simmons converted just 15-of-45 foul attempts. Do the math and it comes out to 33%. Yes, 33% in a playoff series.
So what are the odds Simmons makes his first free throw attempt of the upcoming season? What seems like a random question is actually a Ben Simmon special, or prop, available to DraftKings Sportsbook NJ customers.
Yes is -145, No is +125.
But at this moment, there is a much bigger issue to address.
Ben Simmons will play for …
Every once in a while sportsbooks will post odds for a prop bet centered around what team a popular player will be suiting up for next.
However, as of this week, there are no such odds at NJ sportsbooks related to Simmons. Illinois is another story. At the beginning of the summer, PointsBet made the wager available with the wording “Next NBA team Ben Simmons Will play for if traded.”
Keywords being “if traded.”
Portland was the favored destination at the time with +250 odds. A Simmons for Damian Lillard trade package was the hot rumor at the time.
Now the chatter seems to be more about what properties are up for sale and if Simmons is rethinking his decision to hold out.
He was a no-show for the 76ers preseason opener versus the Toronto Raptors. And the team hit him for a hefty fine in the neighborhood of $360,000.
With the regular season now less than weeks away, that total will very quickly extend into the millions.
Defensive Player of the Year NJ odds
One thing Ben Simmons is known for being is a strong defender. As a result, NJ sportsbooks list him among the favorites to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The current FanDuel Sportsbook odds have Simmons No. 2 on the board at +500. Only Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who won the award last season, has better odds at +380. Simmons finished second.
The next three names on the board are:
- Anthony Davis, Lakers +500
- Giannis Antetekounmpo, Bucks+800
- Myles Turner, Pacers +850
Current Simmons teammate Joel Embiid, at least at the time of this writing, is listed at +1200. Speaking of Embiid, he is once again one of the favorites to win NBA MVP. Only Luka Doncic (+480) of the Dallas Mavericks and Antetekounmpo (+700) are ahead of him.
Speaking of futures, has anyone seen or heard from Ben Simmons yet?
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