Ben Simmons storylines: ‘Overtures’ from the Sixers last season, interest from the Knicks, retirement talk

Ben Simmons appeared poised for a long, storied career in Philly. He stood at 6-foot-10, possessed point guard skills, and defended every position. But injuries and shooting struggles ended his run as one of the league’s rising stars and led to one of the more confounding falls from grace in sports.

Because of that dynamic, Simmons has remained in the headlines even while struggling on the court. And this week was full of Simmons storylines, so The Inquirer has an update on one of the more interesting players in recent 76ers history.

It’s no secret that the Sixers were in the market for big bodies at the NBA trade deadline last season. With Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond injured for much of the season, they were forced to turn to second-round pick Adem Bona and Guerschon Yabusele, who was fresh off a four-year exile after a slow start with the Boston Celtics.

Bleacher Report reported that amid their struggles, that the Sixers made “overtures” to Simmons after he was bought out by the Brooklyn Nets. Another important nugget: per Bleacher Report, Simmons and Embiid have mended their relationship, which would have been a big reason to avoid a reunion.

Clearly, NBA front offices are still intrigued by Simmons. It wouldn’t be surprising for the former Sixer, just 29, to find a change of scenery and resuscitate his career. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers were willing to take a flier on Simmons, and it appears that the New York Knicks also entertained the idea. Simmons rejected a veteran’s minimum offer from the Knicks, The Stein Line’s Marc Stein reported.

» READ MORE: Five Sixers roster curiosities entering the 2025-26 season, including the big three and a guard logjam

Only weeks away from the start of NBA training camps, Simmons remains without a team — and he’s now without an agent. Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, stepped in when Simmons parted ways with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports in 2023. Lee managed Simmons’ free agency this summer but stepped away once he received word that Simmons had little interest in the result of conversations with the Knicks, according to Stein.

While he also reportedly received interest from the Celtics this summer, Simmons is questioning whether he wants to return to the NBA, according to the New York Post. Even with teams inquiring about his availability, Simmons has sent out the message that he’s not sure he wants to continue playing basketball.