Free Agent Ben Simmons Targets Midseason NBA Return
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Free agent forward Ben Simmons said he expects to be ready to rejoin an NBA roster by the middle of the 2025-26 season and is currently training six days a week to reach peak condition, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“I want to get my body to the best it’s been,” Simmons said. “I don’t think it’s good for anybody if I’m out there and I’m not 100 percent.”
The 29-year-old Australian appeared in 51 games last season with the Nets and Clippers, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists. It was his highest game total since the 2020-21 campaign, his most recent All-Star year.
Simmons’ career has been interrupted by back problems that required two surgeries. He acknowledged previous rehabilitation efforts were misdirected, noting that a new approach has focused on nerve mobility to restore explosiveness. “Where I’m at now, I’m back on court … two-a-days right now,” he said. “This is the best I’ve felt.”
A September report suggested Simmons was contemplating retirement, but he dismissed that idea and reiterated his intention to play once fully healthy. “I’m looking maybe halfway through this year, if not next season,” he said, adding that he has experienced no recent setbacks.
In preparation for a return, Simmons re-signed with agent Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, parting ways with former representative Bernie Lee. “I had to make a hard decision,” he explained. “I wanted to take that time to get my body right, get my mind right, and just make that the sole focus.”
Source: HoopsRumors
