Three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons was recently dropped by his agent, Bernie Lee, amid retirement rumors. Lee's decision came after Simmons rebuffed free agent interest from the New York Knicks, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy.
“Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, recently dropped him as a client… A source said that decision occurred after the point guard sent signals that he wasn’t interested in whatever came from his agent’s conversations with the Knicks,” Bondy wrote.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Tuesday that the Knicks offered Simmons a one-year, minimum contract, which he declined. However, several insiders with ties to the Knicks have since reported that New York did not make an offer. Regardless, the Knicks and Boston Celtics were the only teams with reported interest in the former No. 1 pick.
Simmons turning New York away begs the question: Is he heading toward retirement?
Ben Simmons turns down Knicks interest amid retirement rumors
Retirement appears to be a distinct possibility for Simmons. Bondy recently reported that the former Philadelphia 76ers star “is questioning whether he even wants to continue playing in the NBA.” Simmons revealed in January that he considered retirement last summer while rehabbing a back injury.
The Aussie's stock has plummeted since his collapse during the 76ers' second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. After sitting out the entire 2021-22 campaign, he looked like a shell of his old self over the last three seasons.
Simmons averaged 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists while appearing in just 108 games with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. He battled numerous back injuries during that span, requiring multiple procedures.
While the Knicks had interest in Simmons, it's not a foregone conclusion that he will have a roster spot next season if he decides to continue playing. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Simmons may be forced to sign a non-guaranteed contract and battle for a roster spot at training camp.
“The reality is, he's looking at the minimum contract… He might even be forced to take a contract where he's not guaranteed,” Windhorst said. “He would have to sort of earn his way onto the team through training camp and then maybe not know his status until midway through the season. If that's the case, maybe he may want to wait a few months to see where a good fit would be… At the end of the day, Ben Simmons' stock has been falling dramatically for years, and the fact that we're into September and he doesn't have a full-time, guaranteed job speaks to that.”
With NBA training camp two weeks away, Simmons' future looks increasingly uncertain.
