Former Philadelphia Sixers No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons is still on the market as a free agent, but not because of a lack of interest. On Monday, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Knicks offered Simmons a one-year, minimum contract that he passed on (subscription required).
Last week, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that Simmons was "questioning" whether he wants to remain in the NBA.
Stein did note that Simmons entered the offseason "hopeful of securing a contract above the minimum after he split last season between the Nets and Clippers." All that the Knicks can offer is a minimum deal. Stein didn't specify when New York offered Simmons that deal, but regardless, it's interesting that he turned it down, as if there are better offers out there (there aren't).
The Celtics are the other team that Stein listed as a potential suitor that "expressed the most serious interest" in the 29-year-old.
Ben Simmons turned down a one-year offer from the Knicks
Maybe Simmons is still a Sixer at heart, turning down an offer to play for the Knicks?
In all honesty, it wouldn't be surprising if the next report about Simmons was about him announcing his retirement. Maybe he'll wait to see if there will be interest after the season starts, but if he thinks he's going to get anything close to a lucrative deal, that won't happen. A minimum deal is the most realistic for Simmons, but that doesn't seem to be something he's interested in.
This past June marked nine years since the Sixers drafted Simmons. At that time, nobody thought Simmons would possibly be out of the league in less than 10 years, especially not after the 2017-18 season (his first) when he won Rookie of the Year.
Injuries derailed Simmons' career, even delaying the start of his NBA career. The 2022 trade to the Nets didn't spark the comeback in Simmons that Brooklyn had hoped for. He remained with the Nets until this past February, though, after the two sides agreed to a buyout. Simmons spent the second half of the season with the Clippers, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in 16 contests.
Simmons might not be regarded in the most positive light among the Sixers' fan base (and that's putting it nicely), but it's still unfortunate to see his career reach this point.