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Knicks Maintain Strong Interest in Former Net Ben Simmons
Jan 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) as he takes the ball down court in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Nearly a month into free agency, one former Brooklyn Net is still looking for a home, and he might be a strong candidate to join the team across town.

According to SNY sports reporter Ian Begley, the New York Knicks are showing strong interest in former Nets guard Ben Simmons.

“Ben Simmons is certainly a candidate for the Knicks’ final roster spot," said Begley. "As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his decision.”

Last season, Simmons appeared in 33 games for the Nets before Brooklyn waived him and bought out his contract on Feb.8. He was signed by the LA Clippers shortly after, appearing in 17 games with the team. Simmons closed out this season with averages of five points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game

Simmons spent two and a half seasons in Brooklyn after being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers along with Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and two future first-round picks in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

Through his two and a half seasons in Brooklyn, Simmons totaled averages of 6.5 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. Although Simmons came to Brooklyn with the chance to revitalize what once seemed like a future Hall of Fame career, the three-time All-Star fought through a back injury that has hampered his career over the past few years.

Simmons did not play in a single game during his first season with the Nets and only appeared in just 90 games during his two and a half seasons in Brooklyn. His best season with the Nets was during the 2022-2023 season, when Simmons appeared in 42 games and made 33 starts, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field.

If Simmons were to end up with the Knicks, he would take up their final roster spot and face an uphill battle to make the team, let alone receive any type of significant playing time. However, at just 29, there’s still a glimmer of hope that Simmons can get his health back on track and show flashes of the two-way star that he once was during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers.

While his time in Brooklyn was an underwheling experiment, and an expensive one at that, the Knicks don't seem to have much to lose as it's their last roster spot and he is not expected to demand that much money in free agency.


This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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