Former Philadelphia 76ers guard and three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has been out of the league since the 2024-25 season. Since playing in his last game with the Los Angeles Clippers during their first-round playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets in 2025, Simmons has been on the outside looking in.
After missing the entire 2025-26 season, it seemed as if Ben Simmons’ professional basketball career was over. At that point, even the 30-year-old seemed detached from it, as he spent most of the last year recovering and pursuing hobbies like fishing. However, according to the latest rumors, the three-time All-Star may be angling for an NBA comeback.
Simmons was recently linked to his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, to sign a one-year, veteran minimum deal. While this naturally generated significant buzz within the NBA community, the guard fanned the flames further with a recent post on his Instagram story.
After over a year away from the game, Ben Simmons randomly posted a story featuring multiple basketball sneakers. While this could be sheer coincidence, it is hard to overlook such a post given the growing buzz about his potential NBA comeback.
It is also worth noting that the three pairs of shoes in the picture are (from left to right): Nike G.T. Future, Nike Book 2, and Nike LeBron 23 “Old Glory.” Although Simmons has been a Nike athlete for most of his career and is likely just showing off a haul of new shoes, the inclusion of LeBron James‘ signature shoe, especially after his signing with the 76ers, may spark some speculation.
Does Ben Simmons Deserve A Place In The NBA?
Ben Simmons has been criticized for his recurring health issues and his weak mental fortitude for the majority of his career. However, when healthy, Simmons was truly spectacular to watch.
During his earlier years with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons quickly established himself as an elite distributor and slasher. Although his perimeter shooting was underwhelming, the guard quickly asserted himself as a franchise cornerstone in Philadelphia owing to his versatility and athleticism.
After injuries took hold, Simmons’ productivity dropped drastically, eventually leading to the star being traded. Once he was moved from the 76ers, he wasn’t the same player anymore. To his credit, though, he found a way to remain impactful as a floor general and defensive anchor.
Simmons’ value was never fully reflected on the stat sheet, as he averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.7 steals per game during his final season in the NBA. Since he was always viewed as a “star,” the guard consistently fell short of expectations. Still, there is reason to believe he could be a solid role player in a different context.
Realistically, there are a handful of teams, aside from the 76ers, that could benefit from signing Ben Simmons, especially on a minimum deal. Unfortunately, the issues with adding him may not be performance-related at all.
Several teams showed some inclination to sign Ben Simmons last season. However, due to his resistance to joining a team on a minimum contract, Simmons not only lost out on an entire season of action but his own agent dropped him after he ghosted the Knicks.
Hence, if Simmons is planning on an NBA comeback, such a move would require sacrifice. Whether he has the capacity to do so is up for debate.
