It feels like it was a lifetime ago when the Philadelphia Sixers selected Ben Simmons with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. It was supposed to be the start of something special with him and Joel Embiid, but it ended in an ugly breakup in 2022 when the Sixers traded him to the Nets for James Harden.
Over three years later, Simmons is searching for his next team. He entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent after spending the second half of the 2024-25 season with the Clippers. It's mid-August, and he's still on the market. As ESPN noted, many teams have already set their rosters for next season, so it's not looking good for Simmons.
The 29-year-old averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game for LA in 18 contests off the bench, shooting 43.4% from the floor. The last time he averaged double digits in points was in 2020-21, when he averaged 14.3 points per game in 58 contests. That was the last time he suited up for Philly.
Former Sixers star Ben Simmons is still waiting to be signed in free agency
NBA insider Marc Stein reported at the end of July that the Knicks, Celtics, and Kings were the top three teams interested in signing Simmons (subscription required). Sacramento is the favorite to sign Russell Westbrook, so if that happens, you can scratch the Kings off the list as a potential destination for Simmons.
It would be wild (and also amusing) if New York signed Simmons. The Knicks have a veteran's minimum spot open, but if they were smart, they'd avoid Simmons. With that being said, hopefully they do get him. That'd add a whole new layer to the rivalry if he were to even play in those games.
Everyone knows by now that there is no chance Simmons will return to the player he once was, not even close. It doesn't matter how good he looks during the offseason. He hasn't looked the same since dealing with back injuries. The way his NBA career unfolded isn't what he, nor the Sixers, had hoped for.
With it being the slow part of the offseason, Simmons' future is newsworthy, right behind the future of the four restricted free agents, including Quentin Grimes. Everyone is waiting on the edge of their seats to find out who signs Simmons, if that even happens. Right?
Stay tuned, then!