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After nearly a decade of a weird, winding career in the NBA, Ben Simmons may be calling it quits.
According to a report by the New York Post, one source told the outlet he’s unsure “if he wants to continue.”
Simmons is, however, a 29-year-old free agent who still has some good years left in him, so his potential retirement would be due to a lack of interest. The Post reports that the rising New York Knicks —who made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year— are interested, so he could wind up back in New York.
The 2024-25 season was a tough one for Simmons as he split his time between the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers, only playing 51 games because of back and calf injuries. That includes just 18 games for the Nets before the two agreed on a buyout.
Still, his stats weren’t that impressive, averaging 5.0 points, 5.6 rebounds in 22.0 minutes of play per game while shooting 52% from the field.
The Australian native was a promising talent when he entered the 2016 draft after a year at LSU. Simmons went first overall to the Philadelphia 76ers and was supposed to usher in a new era of Philly ball alongside Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz. He did win Rookie of the Year, and as a 6’10 point guard, he was dominant at his peak, but his cracks were also evident.
He was known for not having a jumper or trying to develop one, as evidenced by his infamous moment during the 2021 playoffs when he passed up an open shot in a pivotal Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks.
His relationship with the franchise disintegrated from there as he demanded a trade and held out, refusing to be around the team.
Eventually, he was traded to the Nets for James Harden, where he showed flashes of promise and raised fans’ hopes that playing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would light a fire under him. But that was derailed by constant unavailability thanks to injuries.
He missed his first season as a Net in 2021-2022, played in just 42 games in 2022-2023, and 33 games in 2024-2025.
With Simmons not living up to his LeBron James-approved hype and now reportedly considering retirement, social media has a lot to say.
See the reactions below.