Ben Simmons reportedly finalizing contract buyout with the Nets; Cavaliers, Clippers and Rockets interested

[ad_1]

Ben Simmons is set to be a free agent.

Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a contract buyout, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported after Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Per Charania, the three-time All-Star will meet with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers beginning on Friday. The Houston Rockets are also in the mix, according to Chris Haynes.

To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so.

“Sources tell me Ben Simmons, the three-time All-Star, and the Brooklyn Nets are working on a potential contract buyout to make him a free agent.”@ShamsCharania says the Clippers and the Cavs are potential suitors for Simmons 👀 pic.twitter.com/WqQvP2bi7o

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 6, 2025

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Simmons with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of LSU, but he missed the 2016-17 season with a broken foot. He returned the next season to win Rookie of the Year and he earned three straight All-Star appearances from 2018-2021. But Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 campaign amid his back injury, mental health concerns and eventual holdout with the 76ers, which resulted in him finally being moved to the Nets after the tumultuous final stretch with the franchise.

Since then, his career has largely been stagnant. He’s not played in more than 42 games per season while dealing with numerous injuries. Simmons has averaged 6.2 points and 6.9 assists in 33 games with the Nets this season, which is the final year of his five-year, $177 million deal. He’s set to be a free agent later this summer.

Though he’s not been the player he was at the beginning of his career, Simmons is off to perhaps his best — or at least most consistent — start this season since he landed in Brooklyn. Charania reported that Simmons wants to join a contender, which the Nets are not. They hold just a 17-34 record heading into Friday’s game against the Miami Heat, which is one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference.

Simmons could in theory provide valuable minutes with both the Cavaliers…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-simmons-reportedly-finalizing-contract-buyout-with-the-nets-cavaliers-clippers-and-rockets-interested-212915481.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-02-06 21:29:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.