The Philadelphia 76ers definitely got bested by one of their biggest rivals in the league this year. We are referring to the New York Knicks, which not only turned in a much, much better finish last season than them en route to an Eastern Conference Finals berth, but also snatched one of their most important role players in free agency.
New York, still in pain from their unexpected ouster in the hands of Indiana in the postseason, made a strong power move in the offseason by plucking Guerschon Yabusele from the open market, fortifying their power forward rotation while also weakening the 76ers in effect, as the Frenchman was a major player for Philly in the previous campaign.
The 76ers admittedly low-balled Yabusele, but what makes his departure sting even more is the fact that he went to the Big Apple, giving the Knicks another player who can punish them thanks to his familiarity with the team’s dynamic on both ends.
Yet the Knicks do not seem to be finished making moves just yet. Despite having already secured Yabusele, the Knicks are reportedly strongly eyeing another former 76ers cog, this time in the form of Ben Simmons, who remains widely available for taking in free agency.
Knicks could add fuel to rivalry with 76ers by adding Ben Simmons
According to Knicks insider Ian Begley, New York remains strongly interested in bringing Simmons into their roster ahead of the 2025-26 season. The former All-Star has become one of the more talked about free agents at this juncture where most teams have depleted their cap space, commanding a lot of interest from a bevy of ball clubs.
The former 76ers star will not have a vivid pathway to a defined role with the Knicks unlike, say, the Celtics or the Kings, but New York still has something that few teams can match — pizzazz. Simmons’ marketability could improve if he goes to the Big Apple, and that could very well tempt him to return to the Eastern Conference and join such a powerhouse.
Naturally, that will only add fuel to the burgeoning rivalry between the 76ers and the Knicks. After all, while time has healed a lot of wounds, a huge chunk of the fanbase in Philadelphia still has not gotten over the unceremonious Simmons saga, and him heading to New York would compel them to bring out their bitter sentiments over the ex-All-Star with both teams slated to meet four times next season at the very least.
Ideally, Simmons opts to remain in the Western Conference. While that can be tossed up to Philadelphia 76ers fans not wanting him to go to a rival, the West has more teams that boast more sensible fits for him at this crucial point in his career.