Ben Simmons is officially back in the NBA, and it's not with the New York Knicks. As Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Friday, the 30-year-old agreed to sign a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Kings.
New York was interested in bringing Simmons on board last offseason, so much so that the team offered him a one-year deal, but as NBA insider Marc Stein reported for The Stein Line, the former No. 1 pick turned it down (subscription required). He wanted to spend time rehabbing his back, which has plagued his career, and getting his mind and body right.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Knicks were "in the mix" (subscription required), along with Golden State, for Simmons again this summer, but given their need for a third-string center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, adding him would've meant taking the lone veteran's minimum contract the team can offer.
New York will soon begin its journey of defending its title, and the lack of depth behind KAT is an issue after the Knicks parted with Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti in free agency. Drummond isn't a bad Mitch replacement, especially on the offensive glass; he's no longer much of a deterrent at the rim, which highlights the need for another center even more.
Simmons wouldn't have checked that box.
Knicks have a bigger need than signing Ben Simmons
Was the Knicks' interest understandable? Certainly, Simmons' history shows that he's a solid defender and rebounder, and even standing at six-foot-ten, he's a good ball-handler, too. His biggest issue is, and has always been, his lack of a shot.
There's also the fact that you don't know what you're going to get from a player who spent an entire year away. That's even more true for Simmons, given his history. Since the Sixers traded him to the Nets in 2022, he's been a question mark.
That and his shooting are enough reasons for New York to stay away, but the main reason is that the Knicks still need a third-string center, which is just a little important! SNY's Ian Begley reported on Thursday that Drew Eubanks is one of the bigs on the team's radar as training camp approaches.
It's better for Simmons, too, that he's with a team like the Kings, where he has an easier path to playing time, than if he were with the Knicks. It will let him prove himself better, possibly setting him up to join a contending team again. Maybe then New York can circle back.
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