We may not seen Ben Simmons on an NBA court again.
On Wednesday, the New York Post's Stefan Bondy reported that the former All-Star is considering retirement. Bondy noted that the Knicks and other teams are interested in Simmons, but the 29-year-old may opt to retire instead.
Simmons split time between the Nets and Clippers during the 2024–25 season, averaging 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds over the course of 51 games. Simmons has battled injuries regularly since 2021 and never found his footing after being traded to Brooklyn from the 76ers.
Over the course of the nine seasons since the Sixers made him the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Simmons missed two full seasons due to injury, and hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since the 2018–19 campaign. He hasn't topped 51 since the 2020–21 season.
Simmons has made more than $200 million in his career, and given his difficulty staying on the court and finding consistent playing time, it's possible he's decided there's no reason to continue trying. Once thought of as a potentially transformational player given his size, defensive prowess, and vision at point guard, his career never reached the heights some envisioned.
Despite some rough moments, Simmons did develop into one of the best defenders of his era and was an excellent point guard despite his inability to hit outside shots. He made three All-Star games from 2019 to '21, was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team in 2020 and '21, and was named third team All-NBA in '20.
There's a chance a team takes a flier on Simmons with a minimum contract, but it wouldn't be surprising if he opted to retire.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ben Simmons Considering Retirement Despite Interest From NBA Teams.
