Free agent guard Ben Simmons declined a one-year offer from the New York Knicks earlier this offseason, league insider Marc Stein reported. According to Stein, the Knicks and Boston Celtics demonstrated the “most serious interest” in signing the 29-year-old former No. 1 overall pick.
New York, limited to minimum-salary slots as training camps approach, could only present Simmons with a minimum deal. Boston faces similar cap constraints and would also be restricted to a minimum contract.
Despite accepting a rest-of-season minimum contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in February, Simmons does not view himself as a minimum-salary player, ESPN’s Jake Fischer reported. The LSU product entered free agency hoping for a richer agreement after splitting last season between Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
The latest developments surface amid uncertainty about Simmons’s future. Multiple reports last week indicated agent Bernie Lee ended his representation of Simmons and that the three-time All-Star is weighing whether to continue his NBA career.
Additional Interest Around the League
Stein noted in July that four teams had explored the possibility of adding the 6-foot-10 playmaker. Along with Boston and New York, the Phoenix Suns have recently held discussions, and the Sacramento Kings were also linked to Simmons earlier in free agency.
Career Snapshot
Drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, Simmons claimed Rookie of the Year honors in 2018 and earned All-Star selections from 2019 to 2021. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021.
Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 campaign due to a contract holdout and back surgery, then was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in September 2022. Over two seasons with Brooklyn he appeared in just 57 games and underwent a second back procedure late in the 2023-24 season.
After the Nets bought out his maximum rookie-scale extension in February, Simmons joined the Clippers for the remainder of 2024-25. Across 51 games with Brooklyn and Los Angeles last year he averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 22.0 minutes, shooting 52.0% from the field and 72.7% at the free-throw line.
With training camps on the horizon, only the Celtics and Knicks currently appear positioned to make formal offers, and both would need Simmons to accept a minimum salary.
Source: Basketball Insiders
