The last time we saw Ben Simmons play was back in the 2024-25 season. After his contract expired with the LA Clippers, Simmons became an unrestricted free agent.
While he was once considered one of the league’s biggest stars, that all changed after he left the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021. Simmons’ game declined, and his performances with the Brooklyn Nets and the Clippers showed other teams that they shouldn’t sign him in free agency. As a result, he remains a free agent to this day.
Stephen A. Smith Roasts Ben Simmons
Despite not actively playing for the NBA, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith couldn’t help but call out Simmons on ESPN.
It’s no secret that Simmons’ career fumbled hard. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2018, and he earned three All-Star nods from 2019 to 2021. Then, after the Australian star decided he was ready to move on from Philly, things went south for him.
Simmons was traded to the Nets in 2021. He didn’t make his debut until the 2022-23 season, due to an injury he sustained in early 2021 while still playing for the Sixers.
Suiting up for the Nets, he went from averaging 14.3 points with the Sixers to barely shooting the ball, averaging 6.9 points in his debut season in Brooklyn.
By the time the Nets moved on from Simmons and bought out his contract, the Australian signed a one-year deal with the Clippers, during which he posted worse stats. Last season, Simmons put up 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
Because of these factors, sports analyst Smith has plenty of reasons to cite Simmons when discussing teams that can’t shoot the ball consistently. Despite not playing in the league, Simmons is the most recent example of a player with poor shooting habits.
Smith also declared that he will never stop roasting Simmons until he proves that he is capable of not shying away from letting the ball fly. That is, if the Australian player can secure a contract with an NBA team in the coming seasons.
The analyst also noted that Simmons once made $177.2 million without ever explaining why he deserved his paycheck.
“On this show, as long as First Take is in existence, Ben Simmons will catch strays,” Smith declared. “I ain’t apologizing for it to a damn soul. There is no bigger thief in the history of the NBA than that man.”
“You’re talking about a dude that would not shoot the damn basketball,” Smith ranted. “That is the biggest thief. If Ben Simmons runs near a basketball arena, he should be arrested. That’s how bad it was, okay?”
As of the time of this writing, there is no new information on whether Simmons still plans on playing in the NBA. According to sources, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics expressed interest in acquiring him last summer, but neither team ultimately signed him.
