Ben Simmons Reportedly Draws 'Strong' Interest from Knicks amid NBA Rumors

The New York Knicks have another spot available on their roster, albeit for a player making a veteran minimum contract. One candidate is reportedly Ben Simmons.

According to SNY's Ian Begley, "As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his decision. He's garnered interest from several teams around the league. The Knicks also have maintained interest in Landry Shamet for that final roster spot."

Simmons, 29, has had a fascinating career arc.

He was the top overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft but missed his first year due to a foot injury, though he returned for the 2017-18 season and was named Rookie of the Year. In his four full seasons playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was a three-time All-Star and two-time first-team All-Defensive selection.

At his peak, Simmons was a fantastic playmaker (7.7 APG during his time in Philly) who was nearly unstoppable in transition and was one of the truly elite perimeter defenders in the sport.

But everything began to unravel in the 2020-21 playoffs. Simmons famously passed up a wide-open layup in a Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, only took four shots in the entire game (five points) and the Sixers were upset by a younger, less talented team.

Simmons became the focal point of fan ire with the team, and neither Joel Embiid or the team's head coach at the time, Doc Rivers, exactly came rushing to his defense. That would eventually lead to a messy divorce between Simmons and the Sixers, and a consistent string of injuries—and perhaps a crisis of confidence—have hampered him in the years since.

Simmons didn't play at all in the 2021-22 season and has appeared in just 98 total games in the past three campaigns, averaging five points and 5.6 assists for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers across 51 contests last year.

The Knicks could use more depth on the wing, and while Simmons offers no perimeter shooting, he's still a solid option as a playmaker and defender. The Knicks could certainly do worse on a veteran minimum contract.

Simmons' days of being a starting point guard and true difference-maker are over. But a second act as a solid, contributing role player isn't out of the question.