'He's Like A Running Joke Right Now': Former NBA Champion Urges Ben Simmons To Retire

Ben Simmons entered free agency this year after a tumultuous period in his career, which saw him get traded from the 76ers to the Nets and end up with the Clippers. Falling from the ranks of an All-Star caliber talent to a bench player who rarely gets rotation minutes would definitely be tough on anybody. 

We recently heard rumors that Ben Simmons is potentially considering retirement despite offers from multiple NBA teams. Jeff Teague, the former NBA champion with the Bucks, read about these rumors too and went on his podcast to react to them with his friends.

"I can... I can see him retiring," said Teague when his co-host claimed he can't see Simmons retiring just yet. 

"He earned $203 million, that's a good lot... He's done now... Ben Simmons, he got fans over here, we'd love for you to sit down with us and talk, cause yeah, it's over. It's over. Bro, y'all seen him when he was playing? He can't move no more, he runs like people on 2K." 

“You know, you know your motion style. If you got Kawhi Leonard motion style, you know what I'm talking about. Run like your back hurts. He runs like his back hurts… He’s hurt. I used to always be like, ‘Ah, whatever. Whatever.’ No, he’s legit hurt.”

“What made him effective was pushing the ball and being dynamic in transition, and he can't do that no more. Or he doesn't have the opportunity, like nobody believes it… That was his whole game. I don't know if he can do that no more.”

“It's time to hang it up instead of being a joke. He’s like a running joke right now.”

Ben Simmons has earned $203,356,689 in his career over seven seasons since 2016. The former 76ers player became an All-Star three times before his career spiralled with them. 

He was then traded to the Nets in a trade package that sent James Harden to the 76ers, where he played out the rest of his contract. Then, in the 2024-25 season, he was given a one-year deal by the Clippers and is now an unrestricted free agent. 

Ben Simmons was initially reportedly holding up the free agency market for the veteran guards like Russell Westbrook and Malcolm Brogdon. He generated interest from teams like the Knicks (until recently) and the Nets, as per reports. Yet his mental health still seems to have become a barrier in his career.