The New York Knicks’ chances of landing Ben Simmons just skyrocketed. And they have the Sacramento Kings to thank.
League sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that the #Kangz are considered the “most likely destination” for Russell Wesbrook. On the bright side, this ensures the Knicks won’t make the mistake of signing the 2017 MVP themselves. On the not-so-bright side, it removes a potential Ben Simmons competitor from the field.
At this point, in fact, New York may even be the favorite to scoop up the 29-year-old. Whether fans should be excited by this prospective addition is a separate matter.
The Knicks look like favorites to sign Ben Simmons
One by one, other possible Simmons destinations are coming off the board.
The Knicks, Kings, and Celtics have been at the forefront of the chase essentially since the offseason kicked off, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Sacramento may be a poorly drawn caricature of an NBA franchise, but there’s no way it looks to make room for another mega non-shooter in Simmons if Westbrook is on his way. Boston could still be in the mix, but it continues to be in stark cost-cutting mode, and is unlikely to go all-out for Simmons until after it finishes skirting the luxury tax, which may not happen before the end of the summer.
Though the Phoenix Suns have also been name-checked as a potential landing spot, the fit is exceedingly poor. They have also since hinted at using Jalen Green as their de facto point guard, and added both Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler. None of these are moves that indicate they’re hot for Simmons.
That leaves the Knicks. They are the only other credibly reported possibility for Simmons so far. That could change, but they are indeed in the market for another guard, and defender. Simmons technically checks those boxes, but adding him would come at a steep cost that has nothing to do with money.
New York is better off avoiding Ben Simmons
Veteran minimum signings seldom make or break a team’s season. This case isn’t any different. Simmons wouldn’t enter New York’s locker room assured of 25-plus minutes per game, and plenty of touches.
Still, there are plenty of hangups to consider. Josh Hart’s offensive utility stands to implode if both he and Simmons are coming off the bench, largely because he won’t have the runway to generate his hallmark rim pressure.
Playing Simmons and Mitchell Robinson together is an impossibility. Having both of them on the roster would place further restrictions upon head coach Mike Brown’s rotation, and his intended offensive identity. Especially when you bake in the Josh Hart element.
Meanwhile, this says nothing of the message that signing Simmons or any other guard sends about the Knicks’ stance on Tyler Kolek. (Spoiler: It’s not a flattering statement.) That may be a secondary concern, but New York is having hard enough time developing its youngsters while contending for a title.
If the Knicks are going to add another veteran to the mix, it should be someone who complements everything and everyone else. Failing that, they should prioritize a wing, with some semblance of shooting chops. Simmons is none of these things. So while the path is clear for the Knicks to sign him, they should be more inclined to emphatically pass.