Knicks Keep Tabs on Ben Simmons as Former All-Star Weighs Next Move

The New York Knicks have emerged as one of the leading suitors for former All-Star Ben Simmons, league sources tell me, with both sides showing mutual interest as recently as last month about one of the team’s final roster spots.

This pursuit comes with a bit of history. New Knicks head coach Mike Brown once “salivated” over the idea of adding Simmons when he was running the Sacramento Kings, and the franchise now views the 29-year-old playmaker as a potential low-risk, high-reward addition to its roster.

Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, earned three All-Star selections in Philadelphia before injuries stalled his career. He played only 90 games over three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets before a February buyout ended his stint with the Knicks’ crosstown rivals. Brooklyn remained on the hook for a significant portion of the five-year, $177 million extension Simmons signed with the Sixers prior to being dealt in the James Harden trade.

When Simmons and I chatted in an interview earlier this year, he spoke about the foundation of his game, tracing it back to film sessions spent watching his basketball idols. “’Bron, Magic, D-Wade,” Simmons told me. “Those were the three people that I watched the most in terms of film and their games.”

Magic Johnson, he explained, showed him the value of blending size with skill. “He was dominant, you know? He’s 6’9” and can handle the ball, has great vision, great feel for the game,” Simmons told me. “Like, people don’t understand and take for granted the passing and dribbling of the ball. There’s some guys in the league that can’t dribble the ball, we call them ‘tunas’ [laughing]. So when we got a tuna and we know that he can’t guard and they’re not good dribblers, we get up on them and kind of pressure them.”

If Johnson gave Simmons the blueprint, Dwyane Wade provided lessons on instincts and adaptability. “He wasn’t a great outside shooter but he had a great feel for the game, great footwork and he impacted the game in all types of ways,” Simmons said. “And I think that’s the most important thing, is that you can impact the game on the offensive and defensive side.”

Of course, LeBron James stood as the ultimate example. “I mean, Bron has been doing this for so long and his body has kept up by him taking so good care of his body, he’s a freak. A freak of nature, you know?” Simmons said. “Size wise they’re pretty similar [to Magic] but I think Bron handles it a little bit better, shoots the ball a little bit better. I mean, he’s just developed his game over time and just continuously adapts to the game.”

But inspiration alone will not determine Simmons’ next chapter. His back injury, unlike a prior foot injury that he says he never even thinks about, has been a persistent obstacle. “With the back, you use your back every day with everything you do,” Simmons said. “When you’re breathing everything’s connected so your hips, your legs, upper body, like everything is tied together.”

That has made the mental side of recovery just as important as the physical. “It’s still now certain things that I do for the first time on the court and be like, Okay. I can do that,” Simmons admitted. “It’s a mental thing too. If you haven’t done it and you weren’t able to do it, you have to see yourself do it and go through it to build that confidence.”

As the Knicks weigh their options, Simmons insists that he is still evolving and still competing. “I’m still growing in terms of my game and in terms of getting back, getting reps under my feet,” he said. “I know that I’m here for the love but it’s also different when you’re here on a team that’s rebuilding and you’re trying to help guys develop. So it’s just a whole different experience for me but I’m a competitor, you know?”

For the Knicks, the question is whether Simmons’ size, vision, and defensive versatility, traits that once made him a franchise cornerstone, can help round out a playoff-caliber roster. For Simmons, the question is whether New York is the place where his reinvention finally takes root.