Shortly after the NBA Trade Deadline, Brooklyn Nets and Ben Simmons reportedly began working towards a contract buyout agreement. On Saturday, the Nets and Simmons officially completed the buyout, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania. The three-time All-Star is now a free agent.
Ben Simmons Officially Agrees To Nets Buyout
On Friday, The Stein Line insider Marc Stein reported that Simmons would wait to formalize his buyout agreement when he received a commitment from his new team. Though there may have been other potential suitors, NBA insider Chris Haynes relays that there was mutual interest between him and three playoff teams: the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets.
League sources say that Ben Simmons will formally complete a buyout with the Nets once he secures a commitment from his new team.@ChrisBHaynes reports that Simmons will have discussions today the Cavaliers, Clippers and Rockets.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/IIIlAloJCf
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 7, 2025
He met with all three franchises yesterday.
Back In The Playoffs
Simmons will likely get to play for a playoff team for the first time since he was with the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s worth noting that in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the last time he appeared in the postseason, a single late game blunder ended up causing his entire career to spiral. Looking to escape a situation that was bad for his mental health, he requested a trade. It was just his luck that, by that time, James Harden had grown disenchanted by Brooklyn’s roster.
Landing on a rebuilding team likely wasn’t his expectation when he first landed with the Nets though. After all, they still had All-Star scorers Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the roster. However, largely due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooklyn decided to trade Irving and then Durant.
Irving now plays for the Dallas Mavericks, who reached the 2024 NBA Finals with he and Luka Doncic as co-stars. Durant joined the Phoenix Suns, who traded for Bradley Beal in hopes of creating a Big 3. Thus, Simmons will be their latest star to leave them for a more competitive squad.
What Role Will He Play?
On his next team, Simmons will likely play a multi-faceted role, as has become the norm for him since sustaining myriad back injuries.
He’s no longer a blur with the ball but he’s still a fluid and athletic ball-handler with exceptional court vision, passing ability, and instincts. He’s also worked on his scoring inside the free-throw line, showing off an intriguing mix of hooks and jumpers. Simmons is still reluctant to shoot a three but he’s a much more viable option on offense than he was just a year ago.
At the defensive end is where he could really make his mark, especially for this team. Long-limbed and surprisingly physical, Simmons is an event creator whose basketball IQ and anticipation allow him to make game-changing plays. On any given night, he could guard players 1-5.
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