Three-time NBA All-Star and former Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons has turned down a one-year veteran minimum offer from the New York Knicks, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported Monday on his “The Stein Line” newsletter.
According to Stein, the Knicks were limited to offering Simmons only a minimum contract as training camps get near. New York sits $3.7 million under the NBA’s second-apron threshold after using its taxpayer midlevel exception to sign French forward Guerschon Yabusele earlier this summer. That leaves the club with room for one more veteran minimum deal and a second-round draft pick to be signed to a rookie contract.
Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus recently predicted Simmons to join the Knicks. It turns out, Simmons has other plans.
Stein added that Simmons had entered the offseason hoping to secure a contract above the minimum after splitting last year between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Celtics, Knicks Among Interested Teams
Stein noted that the Knicks and the Boston Celtics showed the “most serious interest” in Simmons during the offseason. He also reported that Simmons has parted ways with his agent, Bernie Lee, who also represents Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler.
While Simmons has drawn attention from multiple teams, his future in the league remains murky. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that Simmons is still weighing whether to continue his NBA career at all.
“The former All-Star and Rookie of the Year, who has struggled recently with injuries and handling the public pressures of the league, is an option for the Knicks because of his upside as an elite defender and athlete to fill their backup point guard spot,” Bondy wrote. “However, Simmons … is sending a message that he isn’t sure if he wants to continue.”
Ben Simmons’ Career in Decline
Getty Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets takes a shot against Ben Simmons of the LA Clippers.
The 28-year-old former No. 1 overall pick appeared on track for stardom early in his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He made three straight All-Star teams, won Rookie of the Year in 2018, and was named to two NBA All-Defensive First Teams.
But since leaving Philadelphia amid mental health struggles and lingering back problems, his career has spiraled. In Brooklyn, Simmons was often sidelined and inconsistent. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists across 33 games last season before reaching a buyout with the Nets.
The Clippers signed him to a one-year, $1.08 million deal to finish out the season, but Simmons played just 17 games and posted career lows with 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. While his defense and playmaking flashed at times, he never regained a steady role.
This offseason, the Clippers moved in a different direction, adding veteran playmakers Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and center Brook Lopez. Those moves effectively closed the door on Simmons returning to Los Angeles.
Uncertain Future
Now, with training camps less than a month away, Simmons finds himself without a team and contemplating whether to step away from the NBA altogether.
Once hailed as one of the league’s brightest young stars, Simmons has now accumulated over $200 million in career earnings but has faced mounting questions about his durability and motivation.
For teams like the Knicks, Simmons still represents an intriguing gamble — a 6-foot-10 playmaker capable of elite defense when healthy. But until he decides whether he wants to continue his career, his status remains one of the most uncertain storylines of the NBA offseason.
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