Ben Simmons Drawing Interest From Four Teams, Including Celtics And Suns

Ben Simmons may not be the star he once was, but he is still generating interest as a free agent.

According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, four teams are currently in the mix for the former No. 1 overall pick: the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings. Stein reported that the Suns have had recent dialogue with Simmons, and that Boston, New York and Sacramento have maintained interest since free agency opened.

Simmons appeared in 51 games last season for the Nets and Clippers, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field and nearly 73 percent at the line. He was bought out by Brooklyn on February 8 and signed with the Clippers two days later.

Simmons Aims for Rebound

At 29, Simmons is looking to reboot a career that once featured All-NBA honors, three All-Star appearances and two All-Defensive First Team selections. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and quickly rose to stardom with the 76ers. But a rocky finish to the 2021 postseason marked the beginning of a steep decline.

Simmons struggled offensively during that playoff run, passed up open shots and drew criticism from teammates and fans. He later cited mental health struggles, requested a trade and was eventually sent to Brooklyn in the deal that brought James Harden to Philadelphia. He missed the entire 2021-22 season due to mental health and back issues.

His role and production have never quite returned to pre-2021 levels. Still, Simmons’ size, vision and defensive instincts keep him on the radar for teams looking for depth and versatility, especially at a minimum salary.

He holds career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists over 334 games with the Sixers, Nets and Clippers.