Ben Simmons started his career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
At the time, Simmons was the most prominent prospect of his draft class, coming out of LSU as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
These days, the narrative is different. Simmons has been a free agent since the beginning of July, and he still doesn’t have a clear path to a new team. There have even been rumors of a potential retirement in the cards for Simmons, according to the New York Post.
The New York Knicks have been linked to Simmons as a potential suitor. Apparently, there is a second team looking at the situation as well, but they weren’t recently revealed.
Feb 11, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
NBA Insider Jake Fischer was asked about it on his stream recently. Is there any chance the Sixers would reconsider having Simmons on their roster?
“There have been some overtures, I would say, between Ben Simmons and the Sixers once he was securing a buyout from Brooklyn,” Fischer said.
“He still has some friends in the area. I believe his brother was living in Philadelphia for a time, and there was some interest from Philadelphia at that point in time, but I can’t say I have any updated information on the Sixers’ interest in Ben Simmons there.”
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 8, 2025
Last year, Simmons made it publicly clear that he wanted to be in a winning situation. The Brooklyn Nets were operating like a rebuilding bunch that wanted higher lottery odds. Simmons and the Nets agreed to a contract buyout, cutting the max deal that Simmons signed with the Sixers early.
The Sixers never seemed to be actual players in Simmons’ market. The pairing wouldn’t have made sense, considering the Sixers finished lower than the Nets last season, as they battled through a ton of injuries throughout the year.
Nov 22, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (R) and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (L) shake hands after the game at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Choosing between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers, Simmons went with the latter team. He ended up appearing in 17 games with the Clippers, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
Ben Simmons’ best days came with the Sixers. After he finally debuted in 2017, Simmons played four full seasons with the Sixers. He posted averages of 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists throughout those years. Simmons was an All-Star three times and established himself as one of the NBA’s elite on the defensive side of the ball.
Simmons has spent the past three seasons looking for that spark, still unable to find it. Landing back with the Sixers wouldn’t magically help Simmons get it back. While Simmons might be on better terms with the Sixers these days after an ugly split in 2021-2022, both sides are likely to keep the past in the past.
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