Knicks' Ben Simmons Saga Ends As It Should Have

The Simmons Saga Shows How Quickly the Knicks' Reputation Has Changed

Simmons carries a complicated hardwood legacy: he was the original endgame of the Philadelphia 76ers' famed "Process" and lived up to that hype to the early stages of that tenure as a two-way breakout. Injuries, however, have defined the modern stages of his career, to the point he played but 90 games in three seasons with the Knicks' crosstown rivals in Brooklyn.

While it's hard to place a bust label on a player for committing the crime of getting hurt while engaging in a physical game (the same logic could well apply to Grant Hill, Derrick Rose, Brandon Roy, and many more), the aftermath of the ailments (such as a dreary buyout process that sent him from Philadelphia to Brooklyn) has generated a negative reputation that starkly contrasts the hype that followed him out of Kansas.

In spite of all that, Simmons is still talented enough, particularly on the defensive end, to build a sizable NBA career. He certainly wouldn't be the first presumed washout to find a second wind.

The Knicks, for example, hosted part of Tyson Chandler's revival that saw him make the All-Star Game in 2013 and, more recently, enjoyed Julius Randle's breakout before exchanging him for Karl-Anthony Towns.

Time is a flat circle on the hardwood, so they've also been on the other side of the trend, the perfect evidence residing in Obi Toppin's newfound reputation as a Indianapolis depth star — one that helped end each of the last two Knicks seasons — after he was dealt away for draft peanuts less than three years after his metropolitan arrival.

But times have changed in New York.

Too often have the Knicks resembled an island of the draft's misfit toys, with the enjoyment of many a new-century date at Madison Square Garden hinging on hoping that the likes of Andrea Bargnani, Michael Beasley and Nerlens Noel would rediscover their prospect potential.

Now, the Knicks are in a place where elite depth talent like Brogdon and Shamet are willing to throw themselves into a potential battle for the final roster spot to partake in what Leon Rose and Co. have built. Simmons, on the other hand, could reportedly be considering walking away from the game entirely, as the last thing the Knicks needs is someone questioning his own buy-in, especially with the Larry O'Brien Trophy looking closer than ever.

Simmons has the skillset to write his redemption story. The Knicks, at this point, have no ink to spare.