When there was a report the Celtics were interested in Ben Simmons, it spurred an entire news cycle for the polarizing former No. 1 pick. At this point in the offseason, it’s unlikely the C’s make the signing considering they seem set with their roster.
Simmons is still a free agent as he’s been connected to the Knicks, among other teams. But Simmons could also just retire, per the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, as he’s “questioning whether he even wants to continue playing in the NBA.” The market has stalled for Simmons as he’s still without a team for next season.
Simmons, 29, played for the Clippers last season after getting bought out by the Nets. At his best, Simmons was a versatile defender and playmaker as he was considered one of the bright young stars in the league. But injuries and other issues have plagued him over the past few seasons. Now, he’s without an NBA home and it sounds like he could just call it a career.
The Celtics overhauled their roster this summer due to salary cap constraints, dealing multiple guys to shed payroll. So when Simmons was rumored with the Celtics, plenty of fans had something to say about the three-time All-Star. It was unclear how serious Boston was in Simmons just that there were some discussions.
The Celtics signed multiple free agents this summer, including Chris Boucher, Luka Garza and Josh Minott on minimum deals. Simmons could have been a low-risk move considering the C’s are looking at a retooling year with Jayson Tatum sidelined. However, it doesn’t seem like the Celtics will make any tweaks ahead of training camp roughly a month away.
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