The 29-year-old former No. 1 overall pick, Ben Simmons, remains one of the most intriguing figures on the 2025 NBA free-agent market as the season approaches. Simmons has generated interest from the New York Knicks and one other team, but the three-time All-Star is questioning whether he even wants to continue his NBA career for the 2025-26 season, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported.
“Ben Simmons has generated interest from the Knicks and another team but is also questioning whether he even wants to continue playing in the NBA next season,” wrote Bondy.
Simmons' time in the NBA has been far from straightforward. Drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016 after a remarkable freshman season at LSU, Simmons won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and earned three consecutive All-Star selections from 2019 to 2021. During his peak years with Philadelphia, he averaged roughly 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field, and he also earned two All-Defensive Team selections and one All-NBA nod.
However, Simmons' career has been hampered by injuries and inconsistent play. He missed the entire 2021-22 season following a holdout and back injury that eventually required surgery. The turning point came in the 2021 playoffs when he infamously passed up an open dunk in Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks, an incident that damaged his confidence and relationship with the Sixers. He subsequently refused to play for Philadelphia again and requested a trade.
Traded to the Brooklyn Nets in September 2022 in exchange for James Harden, Simmons was unable to regain form. Over two seasons with Brooklyn, he appeared in just 57 games and underwent a second back procedure near the end of the 2023-24 season. He was bought out by Brooklyn during the 2024-25 season and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he appeared in 18 regular-season games, averaging career-low numbers of 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes per game. In the playoffs, he played five games, averaging 8.4 minutes and 0.8 points on 33% shooting during the Clippers' first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets.
In the past four seasons, Simmons has appeared in just 108 games, a far cry from the high expectations of his early days. Nevertheless, he offers a unique combination of height, playmaking, and defensive versatility. Standing 6-foot-10 with point guard instincts, Simmons remains relevant in discussions about team depth, particularly for a team like the Knicks, which is coming off their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000.
New York recently hired Mike Brown as head coach, and any potential role for Simmons would likely be limited to a reserve position, focusing on defensive and playmaking contributions rather than scoring.
Financially, Simmons has earned over $203 million during his career, with the largest portion, $123 million, coming during his time with the Nets, according to Spotrac.com. Should he decide to retire, Simmons' career will be remembered as both a story of immense potential and unfulfilled promise, with three All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year honor, two All-Defensive Team nods, and one All-NBA appearance, but an inability to consistently stay healthy or fully realize his early promise.
