Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons is content to put his career on hold until he feels physically ready to play basketball full time again.

“I’m about to be 30 years old, and I need to make the best decision for Ben Simmons,” he told The Athletic’s Sam Jane. “It’s not fun going out there, not being able to move, not be able to jump, or, you know, take hits. There’s no fun in that. Sometimes you got to make a decision with how you feel and what’s best for yourself. And that’s what I’ve done, and it’s not for everybody to really understand, because they’re not in my shoes.”

Jane reported Simmons wants his body to be “bulletproof,” so he avoids the persistent injuries that limited him to 108 total appearances since the start of the 2021-22 season.

“He also said his shot finally feels good and that he can now take a simple hook shot without any discomfort,” per Jane.

Simmons hasn’t been the same player since the nadir of the 2021 NBA playoffs. He was made a bit of a scapegoat for the Philadelphia 76ers’ second-round exit, and his relationship with the team never recovered.

The Brooklyn Nets, who acquired the 29-year-old in February 2022, discovered he had a herniated disc that required surgery. Another procedure followed in March 2024.

The effects of the surgeries are evident in his production along with all of the missed games.

Between spells with the Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last year, Simmons averaged five points and 4.7 rebounds 51 appearances. He was a shell of the two-way force who made three straight All-Star teams with the Sixers.

“I felt like I could barely really move how I wanted to,” he told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “It was tough to really do what I wanted to do given where I was. And at the same time, some people are happy with maybe you can give me a few minutes doing this and that. For me, I want to be able to do as much as I can. I don’t want to go out there knowing I’m going to play a certain amount of minutes when I know I can give more.”

Simmons said he’s aiming to make a comeback as early as the second half of the current campaign and could wait for 2026-27.