The New York Knicks never placed a formal contract proposal in front of unrestricted free agent Ben Simmons, according to multiple league sources.
SNY reporter Ian Begley first revealed that the club held preliminary discussions with Simmons’s representatives earlier in the summer but never advanced to the stage of an official offer. Independent confirmation echoed that account, indicating there was interest yet no concrete deal.
Simmons, 29, is currently without an agent after Bernie Lee ended their professional relationship, a development that has heightened uncertainty about the former No. 1 overall pick’s next move. Retirement has been mentioned as a possibility if a suitable situation fails to materialize.
Once projected as a cornerstone for the Philadelphia 76ers, the 6-foot-10 guard-forward has struggled to regain form since a confidence-shaking 2021 playoff series against Atlanta. He requested a trade shortly after that postseason and was sent to Brooklyn as part of the James Harden deal. Later stops with the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers were hampered by injuries and inconsistent play.
Last season, Simmons appeared in 51 games split between Brooklyn and Los Angeles, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field. Those numbers stand in sharp contrast to his peak years with Philadelphia, where he earned three All-Star selections, two All-Defensive team honors and finished as runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
As NBA training camps draw closer, Simmons remains unsigned, and New York’s stance suggests Madison Square Garden will not be the venue for a career rejuvenation.
Source: Hoops Wire
