Knicks Free Agent Target Considering Retirement

For now, it’s the latter in New York’s case.

Ben Ten-der

As the Knicks peruse the clearance aisle, they’re seriously considering tendering a contract offer to 6-foot-10 playmaker Ben Simmons.

Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has declined significantly since his All-Star start. The issue is layered, with mounting injuries contributing to his mental strain, relatively limited mobility and lack of confidence. The result has been simple.

A player his former head coach once compared to the likes of Magic Johnson and LeBron James is now on the verge of being out of the league. That’s not being hyperbolic. Less than a decade after being drafted, Simmons is literally considering retirement.

“The former All-Star and Rookie of the Year, who has struggled recently with injuries and handling the public pressures of the league, is an option for the Knicks because of his upside as an elite defender and athlete to fill their backup point guard spot,” the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy reports. “However, Simmons… is sending a message that he isn’t sure ‘if he wants to continue’…”

At 29 years old, Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks per game last season. If judged against his three All-Star seasons, those stats are hard to look at. To that point, the Aussie posted 16.0 points, 7.6 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game from 2018-19 to 2020-21.

The Last Word On Ben Simmons

Just from a quick glance at his numbers, it’s clear Simmons isn’t impacting the scoreboard like he used to. He isn’t crashing the boards with the same energy. He’s not even generating turnovers with the same proficiency.

Yet, he’s still a useful player in a vacuum. Indeed, he’s in the Swiss Army Knife mold. Furthermore, though he’s lost a step, he’s a fluid athlete that can play above the rim. If his recent statistical output was compared to a player like Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, he would be much more endearing.

A four-time NBA champion, Green holds career averages of 8.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per game. That’s with him completely healthy. So, sure, Simmons is only a shell of who he used to be. Yet, he could still make a substantial contribution to a title team.