Ben Simmons' NBA Future Receives Update on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 3:23 PM ET

Ben Simmons is back on the market after completing a buyout with the Brooklyn Nets and briefly joining the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year. He signed with the Clippers in February following the buyout but played limited minutes before finishing the season on the bench.

Before the buyout, Simmons appeared in 33 games for Brooklyn in the 2024-25 season, starting 24 of them. He averaged 6.2 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game. Though a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive First Team selection, Simmons continues to battle recurring setbacks, including recent back injuries that have slowed his once-promising career.

Now a free agent, Simmons is expected to make a decision on his next team within the coming week, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics are among the teams reportedly in the mix. Windhorst also noted that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets had shown interest earlier in the process following the buyout.

“I’m told he’s probably going to make a choice in the next week," Windhorst said. "Kings, Suns, Knicks, and Celtics have all been connected to him.”

The Ben Simmons sweepstakes are heating up, and he’s expected to make a decision on where he’ll be taking his talents within the next week, per @WindhorstESPN

“I’m told he’s probably going to make a choice in the next week. Kings, Suns, Knicks & Celtics have all been connected… pic.twitter.com/WDoqnwc2a4
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 23, 2025

Simmons entered the league in 2016 as the No. 1 overall pick and immediately made an impact, winning Rookie of the Year in 2018 and becoming a central piece of the Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff runs. But his offensive limitations, most notably his unwillingness to shoot, became glaring in the 2021 postseason and marked the beginning of a sharp decline. A back injury and mental health struggles kept him off the floor for long stretches in Brooklyn, where he never quite found a rhythm.

Still, teams in need of size, playmaking, and defensive versatility could see Simmons as a low-risk option with upside. The Kings and Suns could use him as a secondary ball handler and defensive stopper, while the Knicks and Celtics may be drawn to his ability to anchor second units and match up across multiple positions.

With a decision expected soon, Simmons now faces a crucial moment in a career that once soared and has since searched for stability.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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