New York Knicks ‘Have Continued to Touch Base’ With Ben Simmons

The New York Knicks “have continued to touch base” with Ben Simmons, according to NBA reporter Ian Begley of SNY.

Simmons is an unrestricted free agent. He played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season.

A three-time All-Star, Simmons played in 51 games last season with the Nets and Clippers. He averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 52.0% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line.

The first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Nets and Clippers. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists.

Simmons can’t shoot jump shots and is no longer the elite defender he used to be. Many believe the LSU product is no longer capable of playing in the NBA, but it appears the Knicks have some level of interest in Simmons, who turns 29 on July 20.

It will be intriguing to see if the Knicks sign Ben Simmons, who is represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.

New York made the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. The Indiana Pacers beat the Knicks in six games.

Tom Thibodeau was shockingly fired by New York as head coach and replaced by Mike Brown. Thibodeau was hired by the Knicks in 2020. He went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and won the 2021 NBA Coach of the Year Award. 

Brown has coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. He is 454-304 in the regular season and 50-40 in the playoffs. 

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