The basketball world had a mixture of emotions upon hearing that Ben Simmons is already considering retirement and putting an end to his relatively short NBA career. After entering the league as a talented rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons’ career has changed drastically over the past few seasons.
Simmons last played for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2024-25 season. However, he has been inconsistent, to say the least, for several years and has been dealing with plenty of physical and mental issues.
Therefore, an update regarding his potential retirement didn’t shock fans. Let’s examine the report and explore this subject.
Ben Simmons Is Unsure of His NBA Future Despite Interest From the New York Knicks
Simmons came into the NBA with scouts predicting that he would be a perfect mixture of LeBron James and Magic Johnson. After all, he is a talented facilitator for a player of his size with impressive handles and a near-unstoppable drive.
At least, that was the case until the second round of the 2021 Eastern Conference playoffs. The 76ers matched up against the Atlanta Hawks and ended up losing that series. Simmons was criticized heavily for being “scared to shoot” towards the end of Game 7.
Being called out by his own team’s fanbase “unnerved” Simmons, who soon found himself unwilling to attempt open and uncontested jump shots. A chronic back and nerve issue followed, leading to Simmons playing in just 57 of a possible 164 regular-season games over the next two campaigns, including only 15 during the 2023-2024 season.
Simmons did manage to log 51 regular-season appearances with the Nets and Clippers during the 2024-25 season, and according to a report from the New York Post, Simmons is a star that the Knicks are considering adding to their team. However, his eagerness to keep his own career going is questionable.
“Ben Simmons has generated interest from the Knicks and another team but is also questioning whether he even wants to continue playing in the NBA next season, The Post has learned. The former All-Star and Rookie of the Year, who has struggled recently with injuries and handling the public pressures of the league, is an option for the Knicks because of his upside as an elite defender and athlete to fill their backup point guard spot, a league source said.”
The report concluded, “However, Simmons, who has accumulated DNPs the past few seasons, and over $200 million in career earnings, is sending a message that he isn’t sure ‘if he wants to continue,‘ another source added.”
According to other reports, Simmons has a net worth of around $80 million, giving him just as many reasons to retire. Fans are left wondering if Simmons will truly end his career at 29 years old or attempt to make a comeback by signing a deal with the Knicks.