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Ben Simmons is already back in the gym working out, but after years of starts and stops, some have wondered if he’s much longer for the NBA.
Well, wonder no longer.
Michael Scotto of Hoopshype spoke to a source who said he believes Simmons “loves the NBA lifestyle too much” to consider retirement as he continues dealing with back injuries.
Simmons has played in just 57 games over the last three seasons due to a combination of a holdout from the Philadelphia 76ers and nagging injuries. He’s been suffering from recurrent back issues and underwent a microscopic partial discectomy in March.
The three-time All-Star has already been posting workout videos and should be fully healthy for the start of the 2024-25 season. The Nets owe Simmons $40.3 million in 2024-25, the final year of his five-year, $177.2 million contract. Signed at a time when Simmons was one of the NBA’s premier young players, the contract has become an albatross as he’s collected money without providing hardly any on-court impact.
Simmons averaged just 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 15 games this season. While he has a level of versatility that can still help a team, Simmons has all but abandoned developing as a scorer. Since coming to Brooklyn during the 2021-22 season, Simmons has averaged just 6.7 points per game—less than half of his career average (14.4 PPG).
Barring a miraculous return to form, Simmons’ NBA lifestyle will take a significant hit beginning in the 2025-26 season. It’s hard to see any team offering him much more than a veteran’s minimum contract until he can prove his health.
