Ben Simmons is set for a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets to make him a free agent. After a hectic NBA trade deadline, the Nets could not trade Simmons, so this buyout allows him to pursue other teams to join for the remainder of the season. He is expected to meet with multiple teams before deciding on his next destination. At this stage in his career, Ben Simmons has his detractors but could play a meaningful role if he is signed by the right team.
Simmons’ Time In Brooklyn
Ben Simmons has spent three seasons with the Nets. He was sent there in a trade for James Harden. Simmons was unhappy with the Philadelphia 76ers after he’d dealt with a series of injuries. Most fans’ biggest memory of Simmons was in the 2021 playoffs when he passed out of an easy layup versus the Atlanta Hawks. Philadelphia went on to lose the series with Simmons taking most of the blame.
This led to many suggestions that Ben Simmons was afraid to shoot. Despite his size and athleticism, he was reluctant to score. He is a great passer, but once this lack of aggression coupled with injuries set in, his time with the 76ers came to a disappointing end. In Brooklyn, Ben Simmons settled into a role. His passing and defense were still very strong, but his scoring has taken a dip. This season he has averaged 6.2 points and 6.9 assists per game.
His physical attributes give him positional versatility, where he can play and defend all five positions on the floor. But the Nets have been unsuccessful through Simmons’s tenure, and he has been injured. Last season, he only played 15 games, and the year before that, he only played 42. This season is tracking to be his healthiest, as he’s already played 33 games and started in 24 of them.
Ben Simmons’ Possible Destinations
According to a report from Shams Charania, Ben Simmons is planning to meet with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams have made moves this trade deadline. Cleveland traded for Deandre Hunter, giving them a great 3-and-D wing that could be their missing piece to winning the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers already have a great starting five and solid depth, but another good passer and defender like Simmons couldn’t hurt if they want to defeat the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in the playoffs.
The Clippers also made multiple trades in the deadline, and Simmons could be a solid acquisition for their depth. They are the seventh seed in a stacked Western Conference, and after a series of deadline moves, they could go up or down depending on how the new roster gels together.
Ben Simmons could also pursue teams outside of the Cavaliers and Clippers, and that makes things even more interesting. Coming out of college, many fans compared Simmons to Magic Johnson with his size and passing ability from the point guard position. It is unlikely that the current iteration of Simmons will reach those heights, but he is still 6-foot-10 and can pass and defend anywhere. Even though his time in Philadelphia came to a disastrous end and Brooklyn was not the resurgence many had hoped for, the mold of an All-Star player is still in there.
Final Thoughts
Ben Simmons will move to a new chapter in his career. After a three-year stint with the Nets, he will enter free agency after a contract buyout. He is meeting with the Cavaliers and Clippers, but more teams will pursue him. Simmons is 28 years old and could provide meaningful minutes if he is on the right team surrounded by the right players.
