As the February 6 trade deadline approaches, there are many uncertainties about Ben Simmons’ future. After missing five straight games due to injury, Simmons will return this evening when the Nets play the Charlotte Hornets.
The Philadelphia 76ers traded the three-time All-Star to the Nets in a deal that sent James Harden to Philly in February 2022. Simmons, 28, is in the final year of his $177 million contract with the Nets. This season, he will earn $40.3 million and become an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
While playing for the 76ers, injuries, refusal to play, and tension with the fans contributed to Simmons being traded. For the past three seasons, back injuries have affected his playing time with the Nets. He underwent back surgery twice in three years. Heading into the 2024-25 season, he hoped the last procedure would provide the relief needed to complete a full season.
Simmons’ Contract
The 76ers hailed Simmons’ contract extension agreed to in 2019 as a wise move, seeing him as the future of the franchise along with Joel Embiid. Fast forward to the final year of his contract, and no teams have shown interest in trading for him. Simmons’ $40.3 million salary this season, coupled with his injury history, are major deterrents. Also, his attitude is always under scrutiny.
During this season, the Nets announced they had no plans for a contract buyout with Simmons. The Nets would have paid him while he explored playing for another team.
Simmons’ Role On the Nets
Simmons has played in 30 of the Nets’ games this season. He is averaging 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. While his scoring numbers might not be impressive, he has embraced the roles of playmaking, passing, and defense. Also, he has shown he wants to be a team player.
Simmons has not lost his competitive edge. He wants to win. Recently, he expressed frustration about the Nets’ rebuilding strategy.
“I know this is kind of like a rebuild situation, but we’ve got to go in there like we want to win regardless of what the front office is expecting,” Simmons said.
Simmons’ Frustration Over Back Injuries
During his recent appearance on the “The Young Man and the Three” podcast, Simmons discussed his frustrations about his back surgeries and how he considered retiring.
“There were times, last summer, when I was like, I don’t know if I can do this. I might have to stop playing,” he said. “The first surgery I had, it took a lot of relief off and pain off my nerve. The second go-around was completely different. I felt like I had a new body, but you go into surgery, have your surgery, and you’re doing the most simple exercises you could possibly do just to get your core going, get your legs firing again.”
However, he refuses to give up. Simmons wants to compete and win. He continued,
“I can’t just stop. Like, I’m not just gonna stop. I wanna compete, I’m a competitor, I like to play basketball, I like to win. And, that was my time to win. I had so many losses in the last two and a half years, I was like, no, I need this one,”
Uncertainties About Ben Simmons’ Future
As the Nets rebuild, the question is whether they will bring back Simmons after the 2024-25 season. There was a time when he was seen as the player who could solve the team’s problems. Now, as the team rebuilds, will Simmons be included in their plans?
While the Nets have not made any additional comments about buying out Simmons’ contract, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned his name as a potential buyout candidate. Windhorst discussed this possibility when talking about who the Cleveland Cavaliers might pursue. He told ESPN Cleveland,
“What you’d be looking for is a perimeter guard who has size and can defend,” Windhorst said, “Two guys who could be bought out that fit that bill are Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons.”
For now, we can only wait to see if Ben Simmons future will remain with the Nets after the February 6 trade deadline, or if another team will sign him this offseason.
