Ben Simmons will need to find new representation if he chooses to continue his NBA career. Bernie Lee informed the National Basketball Players Association that he has formally removed himself from the union ledger as Simmons' agent, according to Marc Stein.
Simmons played for the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season during the final year of his max contract. He's drawn interest from the New York Knicks and one other team this offseason but is also considering retirement, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy.
Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul represented Simmons when he signed a five-year, $177 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the former No. 1 pick parted ways with Klutch in 2023 following his first season with the Brooklyn Nets. He signed with Lee shortly after.
Ben Simmons dropped by agent with NBA future up in the air
Simmons has been unable to regain his All-Star form following his collapse during the 76ers' second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021 playoffs. The three-time All-Star sat out the entire 2021-22 season due to a back injury and mental health issues.
He continued to trend in the wrong direction in terms of offensive aggressiveness following his trade to the Nets. The Aussie averaged 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists while attempting 5.3 shots per game over 90 appearances with Brooklyn. He agreed to a buyout midway through last season and signed with the Clippers.
However, Simmons continued to struggle with Los Angeles, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes per game over 18 appearances. The 29-year-old attempted a career-low 6.5 shots per 36 minutes during his stint with the Clippers. He shot a career-low 43.4 percent from the field despite attempting 86.8 percent of his shots from within 10 feet.
While Simmons is contemplating his NBA future, it's not a foregone conclusion that he would have a roster spot this coming season if he decides to continue playing.
“The reality is, he's looking at the minimum contract… He might even be forced to take a contract where he's not guaranteed,” said ESPN's Brian Windhorst. “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.”
