Ben Simmons is apparently looking to flip the luxurious Los Angeles mansion he bought last year in the city's gated Hidden Hills community, listing the custom-built home for $22.9 million. The development in the mountains of Santa Monica is an enclave for celebrities and athletes from Lil Wayne to Dwyane Wade and Matt Stafford.
Simmons, who turns 26 in July, bought the property last June for $17.5 million, just weeks after the 76ers were knocked out of the NBA playoffs in a Game 7 loss to the underdog Atlanta Hawks. Simmons' dreadful offensive performance in that series and the criticism that followed it led to the unraveling of his relationship with the Sixers, resulting in a dramatic holdout and his eventual trade to the Brooklyn Nets in February.
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The scoop that Simmons put the L.A. property on the market was first reported by the online real estate magazine Dirt.com, which noted Simmons is being represented by Kate Newton of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.
The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom home is situated on a gated 1.5-acre lot, featuring a modern farmhouse-style architectural design with charcoal-colored brick and reclaimed wood siding. The property also includes a house-sized guest house and two swimming pools. The home was designed and built by Max Nobel of Nobel LA. In all, the compound has about 12,000 square feet of living space.
A tour of the luxury property was posted on YouTube last year by popular real estate enthusiast Enes Yilmazer, who gave a full walk-through with details about various standout items, including a 6,000-pound floating fireplace and a set of chandeliers worth $100,000. The property was never listed by the time Simmons bought it, but had been quietly shopped for $20 million prior to the purchase last year.
The listing comes after Simmons sold his Moorestown, New Jersey mansion to Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos for $5 million in April. Simmons also listed his apartment at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia for $3.1 million last year.
Meanwhile, Simmons has filed a grievance against the Sixers to try to make a case for collecting nearly $20 million in salary withheld by the team as a result of his holdout in Philadelphia.
Simmons didn't play a single game for the Nets after the blockbuster trade deadline deal that brought James Harden to Philly. Simmons considered returning to action for the Nets' first-round playoff series, but ultimately sat out and underwent back surgery in Los Angeles in early May. He's expected to be in rehabilitation for several months and recently met with Nets officials about a plan to recover from the physical and mental hurdles that have kept him sidelined since his last game with the Sixers.
If Simmons gets what he's asking for the L.A. property, he'll profit about $5.4 million from the transaction. Hip-hop star Drake recently listed his three Hidden Hills homes, the so-called YOLO Estate, for a combined $22.5 million after purchasing a new mansion in Beverly Hills.
Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star and 2017 Rookie of the Year, reportedly got engaged last winter to British TV host Maya Jama, who recently bought a property of her own in an undisclosed location surrounded by palm trees. The couple reportedly vacationed together in Miami last month.
Simmons has three years and $114 million left on his NBA contract after this season.