The Los Angeles Lakers are among the few teams that have focused exclusively on building their roster with free agent signings this offseason. With key additions like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia, the Purple and Gold have become a significantly more competitive team after addressing key roster issues.
While Los Angeles is certainly perceived as a better team heading into the 2025-26 campaign, it is safe to say that they aren’t necessarily viewed as serious threats in the West.
With the likes of the reigning champions, the Thunder, the newly improved Rockets, and the Nuggets being among the few teams in front of them, the Purple and Gold need to revisit their strategies to get better.
While several trade ideas have presented a method for the team to improve their overall roster strength, the franchise seems to be averse to making any drastic changes at the moment. This leaves the free agency market as the only remaining means of adding upgrades.
While several candidates could be viewed as worthwhile, from guards to bigs, the Lakers may benefit from considering one that is positioned as a solid blend of both, Ben Simmons.
Signing Ben Simmons could be an intriguing option for Los Angeles. Given the team’s current makeup, the Lakers could look to improve upon their perimeter defense and bench playmaking. When considering Simmons’ skill set, the former All-Star appears to be the perfect fit for the team.
The 29-year-old is truly a unique athlete. At 6’10” and 240 lbs, he is an extremely athletic and agile player with incredible defensive instincts and passing skills. Primarily utilized as a point guard on offense, Simmons has been known to leverage his court vision and size to create scoring opportunities.
While his offensive contributions are solid, the three-time All-Star is a versatile defender. At his size, Simmons is capable of making the most of his agility, strength, and length to guard multiple positions with ease. His ability to switch assignments during active possessions is an impressive feature, which, when paired with his outlet passing, makes for easy scoring opportunities in transition.
Simmons most recently played for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. In 18 appearances, he primarily came off the bench to provide a defensive boost. During this period, the guard recorded an average of 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.7 steals per game in 16.4 minutes played.
Playing in a reduced capacity on offense for the Clippers, the former All-Star was able to focus his efforts on the defensive end, emerging as a solid contributor to the team’s efforts. The Lakers could utilize a similar approach, albeit with some differences.
In the second unit, having Simmons act as a secondary playmaker on offense and a defensive anchor on the perimeter would give the Purple and Gold a lot of flexibility. Although this would require the Lakers to surround him with shooters and more scoring talent, his ability to cover a significant area on defense would be worth gambling on.
Similarly, the Lakers could look at an elite defensive rotation off the bench featuring Simmons and Smart together. With two players capable of locking down primary ball handlers and offensive options, the Purple and Gold could choke opposition scoring and disrupt rhythm. Additionally, this also allows the Lakers to experiment with a “small ball” rotation with Simmons playing the role of the center.
Overall, there are significant benefits to signing Simmons. However, there are certain shortcomings that would need to be addressed as well.
The Issue With Signing Simmons
The Los Angeles Lakers will be heading into training camp with a 13-man roster, with two roster spots available. Los Angeles typically prefers to save one spot for a key signing later in the season.
While the Lakers could still sign Simmons and solidify their main rotation for the 2025-26 season, the franchise may hesitate to do so because of the guard’s contract demands.
He is reportedly seeking a new deal in excess of the veteran’s minimum. This decision is what has prevented the former All-Star from joining a new team.
While the Purple and Gold have the cap space to extend a fresh contract to the 29-year-old, they may not see as much value in doing so, primarily due to Simmons’ injury history and limited availability.
As the Lakers gear up for a title charge this season, the front office will also look to sign players who can contribute to the goal. While Simmons possesses all the right tools, his inconsistent drive and health make it a challenge to consider him as a viable target.
