At just 29 years old,Ben Simmons is now considering retirement despite reported interest from two franchises, the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.
“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,” according to the New York Post.
That hesitation comes despite multimillion-dollar offers being on the table.
The Knicks have reportedly put forward a deal worth more than $5 milllion a season. Meanwhile, the Celtics have been linked to the former no.1 overall pick as well. Boston are evaluating how Simmons could fit into a lineup that will be without Jayson Tatum for most, if not all, of 2025-26.
NBA insider Chris Forsberg described Simmons as the type of “random swing” worth taking on the Celtics Talk Podcast,
Celtics reporter Brian Robb echoed the idea, saying, “There’s still just a big void for where (Jayson) Tatum’s minutes would have been this year and Simmons does a lot—obviously doesn’t do anything nearly as well as Tatum does—but he does some of it. He at least has size and can rebound and can pass.”
Simmons’ career has been a story of early promise and recent struggle. Drafted No. 1 overall in 2016, he became Rookie of the Year and a three-time All-Star with Philadelphia, averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in his debut season. But injuries, confidence issues, and a rocky exit from the Sixers derailed his trajectory.
After a failed stint with Brooklyn and a brief run with the Clippers, Simmons averaged just 5.0 points and 4.7 rebounds last season.
Now, with offers in hand but doubts about his desire, the former franchise cornerstone must decide whether to chase a revival in New York or Boston, or walk away from the league entirely.
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