Ben Simmons is seemingly in no rush to make a decision about his future, and the former All-Star’s agent has decided not to stick around to see how things turn out.
NBA reporter Marc Stein revealed on Monday that Simmons turned down an offer from the New York Knicks earlier this offseason. The Knicks are limited to only being able to offer the veteran minimum, and Simmons was apparently hoping for a more lucrative contract.
Stein also reported last week that Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, has decided to part ways with the former NBA Rookie of the Year.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, those two events were related. Bondy wrote on Monday that a source told him Lee dropped Simmons as a client after Simmons decided he “wasn’t interested in whatever came from his agent’s conversations with the Knicks.”
Simmons had been with Lee since 2023, which is when Simmons and Rich Paul of Klutch Sports mutually decided to part ways. Paul had negotiated the now-infamous $177 million contract extension that Simmons signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last week that there might not be a team willing to offer Simmons a guaranteed contract, even for the veteran minimum. If that is accurate and Simmons turned down a guaranteed offer from the Knicks, that might explain why Lee decided to bail.
Simmons, who was a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive selection early in his career, averaged 5.0 points. 4.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game combined between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers last season. He has played in 108 of a possible 328 games over the past four seasons, though legitimate back issues were a factor in that.
One recent report claimed the 29-year-old Simmons is considering retirement.
