Ben Simmons remains one of the most confounding figures in modern NBA discourse. Once viewed as a future Hall of Famer—touted as a defensive juggernaut, elite playmaker, and former Rookie of the Year—he now finds himself unsigned and reportedly reluctant to take the call that might redefine what’s left of his career. On September 8, 2025, reports surfaced that Simmons declined a one-year, veteran-minimum contract offer from the New York Knicks, valued at just over $3 million. But depending on who you ask, that offer might never have officially been on the table. According to Marc Stein via the New York Post, Simmons rebuffed what was described as a low-risk contract the Knicks could afford given their cap constraints. Yet, a league source later claimed the team never formally made the offer (New York Post, Liberty Ballers).
Regardless of whether an official offer existed, the narrative that emerged is that Simmons—a player whose career trajectory has dramatically reversed—was unwilling to compromise, hoping instead for something more substantial. What once was maybe plausible is now borderline improbable. The Knicks could only free up one veteran min slot after their mid‑level exception deal with Guerschon Yabusele, which cleared about $2.23 million in cap space (New York Post). That veteran min spot appears to have been intended for Simmons—or at least considered—with New York “checking in” on him throughout the offseason (RealGM Basketball, Heavy Sports, Basketball Insiders).
As late as early July, Simmons remained among a handful of plausible veteran-minimum fits for the Knicks, along with the likes of Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon, and others. The team seemed to be weighing whether to allocate that slot to a defensive specialist with vaulted past reputation—but whose current game is a shell of its former self—and a string of health and confidence concerns Post, BVM Sports, SI, Heavy Sports, ClutchPoints). Analysts speculated a veteran-minimum deal could serve as a low-risk, high-reward blueprint, giving limited upside if Simmons could regain form
But timing has not been kind. As of now, with NBA training camps imminent, Simmons remains unsigned. Rick reports suggest his decline has been steep—his output in the 2024–25 season with both the Nets and Clippers was pedestrian at best; averaging roughly 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in limited minutes, with shooting woes and recurring back injuries haunting any hope of a renaissance
Adding to the instability, his longtime agent, Bernie Lee, has formally withdrawn his representation of Simmons, notifying the NBPA of the separation. This move raised more questions than it answered: was it Simmons signaling uncertainty about continuing his career, or named a strategic adjustment to recalibrate representation amid dwindling market interest? Some reports suggest that Simmons may even be contemplating retirement altogether—a radical shift for someone who was still an All-Star not too long ago
With every passing day, his leverage only diminishes. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst called it: the league has moved past treating Simmons as anything more than a veteran-minimum candidate—about $4 million this year—and even suggested he might need to accept a non-guaranteed deal simply to prove himself in training camp (Sportskeeda). Long-known for elite defense and court vision, he now struggles to even match minimal expectations. That fall has carried consequences: diminished trust in his durability, skepticism about his mental resilience, and a deep doubt in his offensive capacity—especially his inability to shoot from distance, which severely limits floor spacing.
The Knicks’ pursuit offers further context: they reportedly remained interested, continuing to “touch base” with Simmons through summer (Buzzine International, SI, Basketball Insiders). Still, as they assembled their roster under new head coach Mike Brown, priority clearly shifted towards players with more reliability and cleaner injury histories. The window for Simmons seems to be closing fast.
Comparisons to other teams reveal a similar pattern: the Boston Celtics reportedly had interest, but given their offensive system’s emphasis on spacing and shooting, Simmons’s mismatches just don’t jumble well there either (SI). The Sacramento Kings even impressed in a prediction by Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, but skepticism remains about how well Simmons fits modern NBA builds, especially on competitive playoff teams (Dallas Hoops Journal).
In the hinterlands of Reddit, the sentiment seems grimly resigned, perhaps even unsurprised. One user mused, “he’ll only be 28… still able to have prime years… but health is a big if.” Another bluntly put it: “he kind of seems like he may retire… if a minimum is all he can get,” echoing the growing chorus that Simmons’s continued presence in the NBA is becoming less about talent and more about decisions he’s yet to make (Reddit).
Another commenter noted, “Nobody would pay him more than the minimum,” a blunt acknowledgment of how far Simmons has fallen from the heights of a max contract and All‑Star pedestal (Reddit). That same skepticism animates the Knicks’ cautious approach: they might have considered him for a bench role that relies on defense and playmaking, but doubt looms about whether that value justifies even a veteran-min check when health, role clarity, and shooting remain unresolved (BVM Sports, ClutchPoints, Inquirer.com).
Yet, amid it all, there remains a faint glimmer—albeit faint—that maybe Simmons, if healthy and mentally engaged, could recapture enough of his former prowess to help a team in a specific, contained role. His size and instincts still differentiate him. A coach like Mike Brown might find strategic wrinkles where Simmons’s strengths can shine without exposing weaknesses. Still, that potential payoff is offset by sobering reminders of his fragility—his back issues, patchy recent production, and public uncertainty about continuing his basketball journey.
For Simmons, then, the moment has arrived in stark relief: either embrace the veteran-min deal, accept a non-guaranteed contract, and prove he still belongs—or risk slipping further into obscurity, possibly overrunning the alarm clock on a career that once held so much promise. For the Knicks, the calculus remains simple: give him the slot, and hope like hell he delivers something more than ghostly flashes of the superstar of old; or walk away and hunt safer, more consistent options.
So as NBA training camps loom, this narrative remains unresolved. Simmons’s fate will fall into one of two archetypal stories: redemption through humility and performance, or a cautionary tale of potential unfulfilled. His grace note may yet emerge through discreet minutes anchored in defense and leadership—or fade into the summer heat of 2025, an almost‑All‑Star who now only signs for the minimum—or not at all.
Let me know if you’d like a breakdown of possible landing spots, deeper stats, or historical comparisons to other players whose value plummeted in similar fashion.
