With training camp only weeks away, Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons remain unrestricted free agents. While not the players they once were, both showed last year that there is still some good basketball left in their careers.
That’s why many have wondered why teams haven’t added either this late into the offseason. There appears to be a clear reason why the two are still unsigned.
Insider Reveals Reason Why Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons Remain Unsigned
Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico, citing a conversation with a scout, reported why Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons have yet to be signed by teams.
“I like both players, and I think they could help us,” the scout told Amico. “But honestly, no longer on anything more than minimum salaries. They’re limited in what they can do nowadays.”
Amico added that because Westbrook and Simmons disagree on that front, it may be a while before either plays for his next team.
“Simmons and Westbrook both would want more than the veteran’s minimum salary. They may go unsigned before camp because of it,” Amico wrote.
Another scout explained why things are simply different now compared with when Westbrook and Simmons were in their prime. Because of their limited effectiveness now, teams may look elsewhere.
“Look, this isn’t 2017 or 2019 anymore,” the scout told Hoops Wire. “If Westbrook goes unsigned, or Simmons, it’s not that big of a deal. You can find younger guys like them for cheaper. It’s nothing personal. But everyone gets old, and with Simmons, there are some major flaws there that aren’t ever going away. So why not give someone else a try?”
Time running out for Ben Simmons, Russell Westbrook to land camp deals https://t.co/vK0RsAZNQb
— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) August 31, 2025
Both players made their mark on the league largely through their natural athletic ability. When that fades, it hurts their chances of staying in the league. For the record, Westbrook has shown that he has adjusted to playing in the NBA years after his athleticism peaked.
Simmons has been a different story, but he is younger and has shown himself to still be an NBA-caliber passer, defender and rebounder, even if it appears his prime self is gone at 29 years old. Should they still be in the NBA? The consensus would say yes, but at this stage of their careers, the league dictates those terms, not them.
Amico added that he anticipates both will be on a team in December or January at the latest.
