It seems that the Brooklyn Nets may have looked for ways to move forward Ben Simmons off of their books during the 2023 regular season. Simmons has been a member of the Nets since being traded there in 2022, but his time in Brooklyn has largely been defined by missed games and frustration, leading some to wonder whether the team might be interested in moving on.

“There was one Southeast Division team with a legitimate interest in trading for Simmons then as a reclamation project,” according to Ian Begley of SNY. “But outside of that, teams were wary of bringing him on.”

The beginning of Ben Simmons' career with the Philadelphia 76ers was met with great optimism. Simmons' rare combination of size, athleticism, and uncanny court vision drew immediate comparisons to both Magic Johnson and LeBron James, and in some ways, he lived up to the hype by making three straight All-Star appearances from 2019-2021.

However, the last few seasons have been defined by a puzzling refusal to shoot the basketball, which came to a head during the 76ers' second-round loss in 2021 to the Atlanta Hawks, along with nagging injury concerns that have kept him out of the lineup.

Still just 27 years old, there is understandable curiosity about what Simmons could potentially bring to the table if healthy and playing with confidence. However, as more and more time passes by, it's looking less likely by the day that Simmons will ever truly live up to the lofty potential he had upon entering the league.