<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/would-ben-simmons-dominate-nbl-aussie-legend-rips-disrespectful-take');   ga('set', 'title', 'Would Ben Simmons ‘dominate’ NBL? Aussie legend rips ‘disrespectful’ take');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ben-Simmons.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Would Ben Simmons ‘dominate’ NBL? Aussie legend rips ‘disrespectful’ take</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-24T09:52:35-07:00">September 24th, 9:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-24T09:52:35-07:00">September 24th, 9:52am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Ben Simmons’ <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-ben-simmons-grabs-attention-with-activity-amid-free-agent-status">basketball future remains uncertain</a> as the three-time NBA All-Star continues to navigate free agency, but the idea of him suiting up in Australia’s National Basketball League has sparked debate.</p><p>Former NBL great Chris Anstey, a three-time league champion and two-time MVP, <a href="https://nbl.com.au/news/anstey-simmons-would-absolutely-not-dominate-nbl" rel="noopener">dismissed the notion</a> that Simmons would “dominate” the competition. His comments came in response to NBL analyst Damon Lowery, who recently suggested the 29-year-old would be unstoppable if he joined the league.</p><p>“Would he dominate? Absolutely not,” Anstey said on Wednesday’s episode of NBL Now. “I think that’s disrespectful to so many players in this league, who are able to score the ball in a multitude of ways. He’s a very big guard who can handle the ball or a very small big, but he can’t shoot the ball and would get fouled a lot.”</p><h2><b>Chris Anstey dismisses Ben Simmons’ NBL dominance claims</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Former-NBA-Los-Angeles-Clippers-forward-Ben-Simmons.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Anstey’s remarks highlight the perception gap surrounding Simmons, whose size and defensive versatility have always been viewed as elite, but whose offensive limitations have been equally scrutinized. Once considered one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, Simmons has seen his role and production decline in recent years, fueling speculation about whether a move back home could reignite his career.</p><p>NBL owner and executive director Larry Kestelman has previously said the former No. 1 overall pick is “too good a talent not to be playing basketball.” He told CODE Sports earlier this year that he would be open to bringing Simmons into the league, believing the NBL could help him rediscover his passion for the game.</p><p>“I’ll reach out to Ben and I’d love to have a chat to him,” Kestelman said at the time. “I hope he comes and plays for the passion of it, and a deal in the NBL is somewhere where his passion could be reignited.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-ben-simmons-career-update-retirement-rumors">Simmons has denied rumors of an early retirement</a>, insisting he plans to continue his career. Last season, he split time between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers following a midseason trade. He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 52 percent shooting across 51 appearances, playing 22 minutes per night.</p><p>Though Simmons’ numbers have fallen well below his All-Star peak with the Philadelphia 76ers, his defensive skills, size, and playmaking ability still attract attention. Whether in the NBA or overseas, his next move remains one of the more intriguing storylines of the offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Would Ben Simmons ‘dominate’ NBL? Aussie legend rips ‘disrespectful’ take

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-ben-simmons-grabs-attention-with-activity-amid-free-agent-status');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ben Simmons grabs attention with activity amid NBA free agent status');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Clippers-guard-Ben-Simmons-25-dribbles-the-ball.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ben Simmons grabs attention with activity amid NBA free agent status</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-22T21:00:38-07:00">September 22nd, 9:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-22T21:00:38-07:00">September 22nd, 9:00pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Ben Simmons is only 29 years of age, and for anyone who followed him since his days at Montverde Academy, one would think that he’d still be making All-NBA and All-Defensive teams as one of the biggest stars in the league. Simmons has been billed as the “next LeBron James” before he was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft, but here he is, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-ben-simmons-unsure-continuing-career-amid-knicks-interest">without a job in the NBA</a> even though training camp is about to begin in a few days.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-ben-simmons-career-update-retirement-rumors">Simmons is a cautionary tale of unfulfilled potential</a>, although some of it isn’t his fault; he did experience injury woes that sapped him of the athleticism that made him a special player, rendering him a shell of his former self. But even though he doesn’t belong on an NBA team at the moment, he seems to be <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DO7Hz0wDMah/?img_index=7" rel="noopener">enjoying his life</a> off the court, if his recent Instagram post is any indication.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DO7Hz0wDMah/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DO7Hz0wDMah/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Ben Simmons (@bensimmons)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Simmons is making the most of his offseason, and it is certainly a relaxing pastime for most men to sail the seas, grab a fishing rod, and snag as many fish as possible.</p><p>The past few seasons have been trying for Simmons, and he’s even admitted to experiencing some mental health turmoil amid his battle with injury woes as well as his ongoing bout with accepting that he’s no longer the star player he once was.</p><p>So to see him enjoying himself by engaging in his off the court hobby is a sight for sore eyes. And who knows, maybe once his mind is in a better place, he could still end up being a productive player off an NBA team’s bench — provided, of course, that he’s open to that idea.</p><h2><b>Ben Simmons is still looking for an NBA home</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/New-York-has-strong-interest-in-Ben-Simmons.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Robert Edwards</figcaption></figure><p>At the moment, it’s understandable why NBA teams are a bit wary of getting on the Simmons train. He’s very injury-prone, so he just might end up hogging a roster spot without the possibility of it paying off in a big way.</p><p>But <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-ben-simmons-named-potential-sacramento-free-agent-target">Simmons’ positional versatility</a> as well as whatever upside he has left may prove to be enticing for teams that lack depth, particularly in the frontcourt.</p><p>Maybe the Boston Celtics, a team that has nonexistent frontcourt depth, could use him, provided that they find enough wiggle room under the second apron. The Golden State Warriors could also use him, especially when they’re stuck dealing with the Jonathan Kuminga situation and their roster size is stuck at nine.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ben Simmons grabs attention with activity amid NBA free agent status

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-ben-simmons-career-update-retirement-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ben Simmons gives career update amid retirement rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ben-Simmons-25-brings-the-ball-up-court-against-the-Brooklyn-Nets.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ben Simmons gives career update amid retirement rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-15T18:42:59-07:00">September 15th, 6:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-15T18:42:59-07:00">September 15th, 6:42pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-ben-simmons-unsure-continuing-career-amid-knicks-interest">Ben Simmons finds himself at the center of speculation regarding his future</a> in basketball. The former No. 1 overall pick and three-time All-Star is currently unsigned in free agency, leading to widespread rumors about a possible early retirement at age 29. Simmons, however, has made it clear that those reports are inaccurate.</p><p>Simmons recently shared a series of offseason photos on Instagram, showing himself spending time in Australia and enjoying life away from the basketball court.</p><p>When a fan asked Simmons in the comments if he had hung up his sneakers, <a href="https://x.com/LegionHoops/status/1967717014451183944" rel="noopener">he answered with one word</a> to put the retirement rumors to rest: “no.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ben Simmons is NOT retired 🔥</p><p>(h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/CourtsideBuzzX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CourtsideBuzzX</a>) <a href="https://t.co/SG0cC5aaCD">pic.twitter.com/SG0cC5aaCD</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1967717014451183944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The speculation began after New York Post’s Stefan Bondy reported that Ben Simmons was “considering” retirement earlier this summer. That report followed the veteran guard’s buyout with the Brooklyn Nets and his short run with the Los Angeles Clippers, where his production fell far below expectations. Across 18 games with LA, Simmons averaged just 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes per game, and he was largely phased out of Ty Lue’s playoff rotation.</p><p>Before joining the Clippers, Simmons appeared in 33 games for Brooklyn, posting averages of 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 25 minutes per game. While his defensive versatility and playmaking still drew some interest, his lack of scoring and recurring injury issues raised concerns for potential suitors.</p><p>Simmons’ downturn lays bare how far he has strayed from the potential of his early years with the Philadelphia 76ers. After the 76ers drafted him overall in 2016, he missed his rookie season due to a foot injury but returned in 2017 to win Rookie of the Year with 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Between 2018 and 2021, he was named an All-Star three times, earned two All-Defensive First Team selections, and secured an All-NBA nod. In his first four active seasons, Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists while appearing in 275 games.</p><p>Since the 2021-22 season, however, injuries and setbacks have limited him to just 108 total appearances, during which his numbers dropped to 5.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. A back injury, combined with his well-documented offensive limitations, has dramatically reduced his role across multiple stops.</p><p>This summer, Simmons drew reported interest from the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Sacramento Kings, but no deal materialized. His representation situation added to the uncertainty, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-york-knicks/ben-simmons-agent-reportedly-dropped-him-over-not-showing-interest-in-knicks">with his agent Bernie Lee reportedly leaving</a> after Simmons turned down a Knicks opportunity. Other reports linked <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/nba-rumors-did-76ers-make-run-ben-simmons-after-nets-buyout">Simmons to a potential reconciliation with the 76ers</a>, including a repaired relationship with Joel Embiid; however, no formal offer was made by the franchise.</p><p>For now, the former All-Star remains a free agent as training camps near. Whether an NBA team is willing to take a chance on him, or if he looks overseas for a fresh start, Simmons insists his playing career is not over.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ben Simmons gives career update amid retirement rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-trae-young-on-his-role-in-ben-simmons-viral-moment-career-spiral');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hawks’ Trae Young on his role in Ben Simmons viral moment that led to career spiral');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hawks-All-Star-Trae-Young1.jpg"><figcaption>BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hawks’ Trae Young on his role in Ben Simmons viral moment that led to career spiral</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-15T16:45:34-07:00">September 15th, 4:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-15T16:45:34-07:00">September 15th, 4:45pm</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Upon reflecting on a seven-year career, Atlanta Hawks All-Star <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-trae-young-brutally-honest-why-doesnt-the-credit-deserves">Trae Young reflected on the narrative around his game</a> and goals set forth the upcoming season. He also addressed a viral moment between him and Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-trae-young-says-ready-compete-championship-exclusive">Young has championship aspirations for the Hawks’ 2025-26</a> campaign. However, former NBA guard and podcast host Jeff Teague also wanted to hear more about Trae’s moment with Simmons from the 2021 playoffs.</p><p>Young addressed how <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-64xA-SSvQM&amp;t=2420s" rel="noopener">he went to contest</a> an open Simmons before the then-Philadelphia 76ers All-Star passed the ball to an open teammate instead of taking the open layup, per the Club 520 Podcast.</p><p>“Yeah, like I’m about to fake block it,” Young said. “And the picture looks crazy like I’m about to fake jump and block it.”</p><p>Then, Teague said, “Trae with the contest? OK,” sarcastically, to which triggered a funny response from Young.</p><p>“No, I was just going to, and he said it to, ‘I thought he was going to foul me.’ Which I probably would’ve just grabbed his arm,” Young replied. “I was really probably about to swing through and grab his arm and make sure he didn’t shoot free throws.”</p><p>Teague co-host said Simmons could and should have dunked over Young instead of passing up the ball in Game 7 of the 76ers’ semifinals series against the Hawks, who eliminated the Sixers in a 103-96 victory. The 2020-21 campaign was Ben Simmons’ last All-Star season.</p><h2><b>Trae Young says 2025-26 Hawks are ready to compete for a title</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hawks-All-Star-Trae-Young_cc0aae.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Hawks All-Star Trae Young is all-in on his team emerging as championship contenders in 2025-26. After reaching personal goals of leading the NBA in assists per game and total assists last season, Young is looking to build off his only Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021.</p><p>“For me, it’s getting back to where I’ve been in the playoffs and further,” Young told ClutchPoints. “So, I’m trying to get to the Finals and compete for a championship; that’s my only goal.”</p><p>From the young promising talent of last year’s team combined with the team’s offseason additions of veterans such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Krisptaps Porzingis, Young believes his Hawks have entered the conversations of teams that can conquer the Eastern Conference and head to the NBA finals in 2026.</p><p>“You can look at our roster and look at our team, and you can finally say we’re trying to compete for something,” Young said. “Going into Year 8, you haven’t been able to look at my teams, and been able to say that necessarily. So, I’m very glad that we have a team like that.”</p><p>It should be an exciting season for the Hawks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hawks’ Trae Young on his role in Ben Simmons viral moment that led to career spiral

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-york-knicks/knicks-news-patrick-beverley-stunned-ben-simmons-would-reject-knicks-offer');   ga('set', 'title', 'Patrick Beverley stunned Ben Simmons would reject Knicks offer');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Patrick-Beverley-stunned-Ben-Simmons-would-reject-Knicks-offer.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Patrick Beverley stunned Ben Simmons would reject Knicks offer</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-10T13:12:34-07:00">September 10th, 1:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-10T13:12:34-07:00">September 10th, 1:12pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Patrick Beverley <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkq1RkVhALw&amp;t=1213s" rel="noopener">expressed disbelief</a> this week after reports surfaced that free agent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/is-ben-simmons-going-to-retire-agent-drops-him">Ben Simmons turned down a one-year minimum contract offer from the New York Knicks</a>. Speaking on The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, the former NBA guard reacted strongly to the rumored rejection, emphasizing the significance of an offer from a major market franchise.</p><p>“My thing is this right, you got an offer from the Knicks right?” Beverley said. “And we don’t know how true it is or not. We’re just basically going off what we all see in the media right? But the media is saying he turned down a deal with the Knicks. And I’m like, you don’t ever turn down that deal. Lakers, Knicks come calling, them deals you don’t turn down. It’s like the f—ing Dallas Cowboys calling or the Chiefs calling or some s—t. You don’t turn down big markets down for whatever reason, especially not for money.”</p><p>The comments stem from a report by NBA insider Marc Stein earlier this week that indicated Simmons had declined a minimum contract offer from the Knicks. However, that report has since been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-york-knicks/knicks-rumors-new-york-insiders-ben-simmons-contract">disputed by multiple insiders with ties to New York</a>, who stated the Knicks never officially made an offer to Simmons. Despite the conflicting accounts, Simmons has drawn limited interest in free agency. The Knicks and the Boston Celtics were reportedly the only two teams to express some level of engagement.</p><h2><b>Patrick Beverley questions Ben Simmons’ reported Knicks snub as agent drops him</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ben-Simmons-25-brings-the-ball-up-court-against-the-Brooklyn-Nets.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Following the news of the supposed rejection, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-york-knicks/ben-simmons-agent-reportedly-dropped-him-over-not-showing-interest-in-knicks">Simmons’ agent Bernie Lee officially dropped him as a client</a>, further complicating the 28-year-old’s free agency outlook.</p><p>Beverley, speaking from the perspective of a veteran role player, stressed the importance of seizing such opportunities, especially for players whose recent production may not justify greater compensation.</p><p>“So, I’m thinking of like, okay, cool. I get my opportunity. New coach, new system. They want me, right?” Beverley continued. “If they want me, that mean I’m going to play, right? So, what I don’t like the minimum. I haven’t done anything to deserve anything else. So, I have to take it for what it is. That’s the thing. Mother f—-ers want more money, but Mother f—-ers ain’t doing no more producing.”</p><p>Simmons, the former No. 1 overall pick, played 51 games last season between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers after being bought out midseason. He averaged 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game. His minutes and production declined significantly in the postseason.</p><p>As Simmons remains unsigned, and speculation continues over what offers he may or may not have received, Beverley’s comments add to growing public scrutiny of the three-time All-Star’s current standing in the league. The Knicks, meanwhile, are expected to continue evaluating affordable options as they reshape the roster ahead of the 2025–26 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Patrick Beverley stunned Ben Simmons would reject Knicks offer

Anthony Davis

Blake Griffin

Klay Thompson

John Wall

Ben Simmons

Kyle Kuzma

Ja Morant

Draymond Green

Jimmy Butler III

Trae Young

2x All Star

2017-18 ROY

2017-18 All-Rookie

2019-20 All-Defensive

2x All-Defensive

2019-20 STL Champ

2019-20 All-NBA

3x All Star

Philadelphia 76ers

Brooklyn Nets

Los Angeles Clippers

3 seasons

Career

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2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
2.9	3.8	3.1	0.4	0.7

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
2.9	3.8	3.1	0.4	0.7