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Ben Simmons is back in the NBA picture and pushing for a Boomers return, while fresh details dating back to 2019 have emerged as the NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard continues.
All of this and more in the latest edition of NBA Daily.
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‘ZERO RESTRICTIONS’ IN COMEBACK BID
Ben Simmons’ long-awaited NBA comeback appears to be gathering momentum, with the former No. 1 overall draft pick expected to take part in the Australian men’s national team mini-camp in Melbourne this week with “zero restrictions”.
According to ESPN’s Marc Spears, Simmons will be a full participant in the player-led Boomers camp beginning on Monday after spending last season away from the NBA in an effort to fully recover from the injuries that have plagued the latter stages of his career.
Spears also reported Simmons paid his own way to Melbourne for the camp, further highlighting his commitment to returning to both the NBA and the Australian national team.
Spears also reported that Simmons recently told Andscape he is feeling the best he has in years, while a coach who has worked with the 30-year-old said the versatile forward has regained the athleticism that once made him one of the league’s brightest young stars.
Simmons last appeared in the NBA during the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers before electing to sit out last season to focus on his rehabilitation.
The recovery has already attracted interest from across the league.
According to Spears, several NBA teams have contacted Simmons’ camp, including one Western Conference franchise that has already extended a training camp invitation. Simmons is also reportedly open to signing a veteran minimum contract as he attempts to resurrect his NBA career.
The Boomers also remain firmly in Simmons’ plans.
After representing Australia at junior level but never making his senior Boomers debut, Simmons is understood to have ambitions of playing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with his attendance at this week’s Melbourne mini-camp viewed as an important step towards rebuilding his relationship with the national program.
Should Simmons prove he is healthy and able to rediscover the form that earned him three NBA All-Star selections, the former Philadelphia 76ers star could yet complete one of basketball’s most remarkable career revivals.
PRIVATE JET, FREE HOME... AND NOW MORE CLAIMS
A fresh report has revealed new details surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s blockbuster free agency in 2019 as the NBA’s investigation into the two-time Finals MVP continues with no clear end in sight.
According to The Athletic, Leonard’s camp made a series of requests to the Los Angeles Lakers during free agency, including access to a private aircraft, a free home, guaranteed off-court earnings and even an ownership stake in the franchise.
The latest revelations come amid the NBA's ongoing investigation into Leonard's free agency.Source: FOX SPORTS
The Lakers reportedly rejected the requests, believing they would have violated the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Leonard ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Clippers later that offseason, completing one of the biggest free agency moves in NBA history.
The latest revelations come amid the NBA’s ongoing investigation into Leonard’s free agency.
Pablo Torre has also reported that Leonard allegedly had a secret, multimillion-dollar sponsorship agreement with Daktronics, the company behind the Intuit Dome’s scoreboard, as part of his move to the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to Torre’s report, a source claimed Leonard was set to become the company’s official spokesperson, with the arrangement allegedly being “openly joked” about as “1,000 per cent a way to circumvent the salary cap.”
The report is the latest development in the NBA’s ongoing investigation into Leonard’s free agency, with the league yet to publicly comment on the allegations or indicate when the probe will conclude.