Mar 28, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons (25) brings the ball up court against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Ex-NBA Guard Delivers Blunt Take on Ben Simmons

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 4:39 PM ET

The future of Ben Simmons is unclear.

Currently a top free agent left on the market, Simmons has reportedly gained some level of interest from point guard-needy teams in free agency. So far, he hasn’t signed with anybody.

As the offseason begins to wind down, one would assume that Simmons would like to figure out his next destination sooner rather than later. However, a recent report suggests that the three-time All-Star might be thinking about taking a different direction.

According to a report from the New York Post, Simmons is undecided on playing next year. While it’s unclear if Simmons is considering retirement or a year off, there seems to be a strong chance he might not play. In the eyes of the former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague, that could be the right call for Simmons.

Teague Drops an Opinion on Ben Simmons

"I can see him retiring,” Teague said on Club 520.

“He's done, though. Ya'll see him when he was playing, he can't move no more. He run like people on 2K, bro. You know, your motion style, if you got Kawhi Leonard-motion style, he run like his back hurts,"

Throughout Simmons’ career, he’s dealt with numerous back injuries. During the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2019-2020 run, Simmons missed a chunk of time dealing with a lower back impingement.

While Simmons returned after a while, the back concerns didn’t dissolve. Throughout the years, Simmons has battled similar back-related setbacks, as well as knee concerns. After Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, he struggled to stay on the floor throughout his tenure.

Simmons played in 90 games for the Nets over the course of three seasons. When he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers late in the 2024-2025 season, he played in 18 games down the stretch. He didn’t look like the same player who was suited up for the Sixers from 2017 until 2021.

“He’s hurt,” Teague added. “What made him effective was pushing the ball and being dynamic in transition, and he can't do that no more, or he can't do that no more because nobody believes in him."

After Simmons recovered from a season-long foot injury in 2016-2017, he put together a four-year stretch, which included three All-Star nods.

While on the Sixers, Simmons was a threat in the paint (15.9 points per game), a talented passer (8.1 assists per game), and was productive on the boards (6.2 rebounds per game).

Simmons showed those early flashes at times during his run in Brooklyn, but not nearly enough to convince any teams that he’s still able to consistently be an All-Star-caliber player.

As a passer and a defender, Simmons could still be valuable coming off the bench. But if his body can’t hold up, or if he’s questioning whether he wants to play or not, then teams are likely to steer clear of the former No. 1 overall pick.