Ben Simmons Doesn't Deserve One More Chance in the NBA

Former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons is actively participating in Team Australia's private mini camps, hoping to find himself back in the NBA once again. At just 30 years old, many assumed that Simmons would just be entering the prime of his career, but after many physical and mental setbacks, the former All-Star is looking for one more chance in the league.

Most assumed Simmons was finished with trying to play in the NBA after missing his third full season in just 11 years, but it appears he’s healthy enough to give it one more go. That’s always been the most important factor for Simmons, but he’s claiming the full season off has him as healthy as he’s been in years.

Fans from contending organizations will try to convince themselves that Ben Simmons is their missing piece, but I just don’t think that’s the case. I preface that take with the sentiment that if he’s physically and mentally 100%, then sure, he can still be a valuable player in 2026; I just highly doubt that'll be the case.

Yes, the year off will definitely relieve stress on a guy with a litany of back injuries, but years of damage have already done enough to him. Everything about Simmons starts and ends with “if”. If he’s healthy, if he’s locked in, if he's durable enough to make it through a full season. Throughout his entire career, he’s been a negative PR aspect to every team he’s been on, and he hasn’t been worth that headache for over half a decade now.

There’s still some defensive versatility when it comes to Simmons, but there’s not a ton of room left in the league for defensive-only players. Many would argue the Thompson twins are defensively only players getting big paydays, but they’re way more than that. They’re some of the best athletes on the planet, who have developed playmaking skills, and are only 23 years old. They’re far more than defensive specialists.

In his final season, Simmons was not only one of the worst floor spacers in the league but also below average on rim attempts and finished at the 39th percentile in effective field goal percentage. He’s still a very elite playmaker, but his 5th percentile turnover rate is unsustainable for a guy with absolutely zero jump shot.

Simmons was also only slightly above league average in defensive and rebounding rates in his final year.

What’s happening on the court should be enough to prevent Simmons from playing in the NBA, but all his other baggage makes this a non-starter signing for me. Maybe a bad team is looking to take a shot at rebuilding his image and trading his veteran minimum contract, but at this point, I would be unwilling to give Ben Simmons one more chance.