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Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A new rumor opens the door for the New York Knicks to fill one of their remaining roster spots with a certain three-time All-Star. And they had interest in him this time last year.
The Knicks organization is still celebrating the franchise’s first championship in 53 years even though it happened almost two months ago. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy this offseason as they look to repeat in 2026-27. While they haven’t made big additions, they did re-sign valuable rotation players in Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado.
Yes, they lost Mitchell Robinson to rivals the Boston Celtics in NBA free agency, but they did add two-time All-Star Andre Drummond to help fill the void. Interestingly, despite the moves, they still have a couple of spots open on their roster with a couple of months to go before training camps open. While they have been linked to adding another big man, they could go in a different direction to add frontcourt depth, because according to Heavy’s Sean Deveney, Ben Simmons is “serious” about an NBA comeback this season.
“Ben Simmons is serious about making a comeback at 30 years old. Simmons is working out at the Australian national team’s minicamp and is likely to return to the Boomers for a run at the 2028 Olympics in LA. There is, no doubt, interest in Simmons.”
Should the NY Knicks pursue a Ben Simmons signing?
Simmons’ fall from grace is well documented. Five years ago, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft was viewed as one of the bright young stars in the game after making a third straight trip to the All-Star Game with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, back and mental health issues forced him out for all of the 2021-22 season. When he returned the following year, he was a shell of himself, and things only got worse the next two seasons.
Things got so bad that he sat out for all of the 2025-26 NBA campaign. Before he let it be known that he would not play this past season, the Knicks were among the teams interested in signing the Australian. Chances are, they will still be interested in bringing him in if he is willing to take a veteran minimum deal. Which can’t be ruled out if he feels the Knicks offer a situation that would be beneficial to his physical and mental health as he looks to prove to the league he is ready to restart his career at 30.
Simmons became a star in the league as an oversized guard. He could certainly offer that off the Knicks bench after averaging over seven assists for his career. However, at his best, he was also an elite defender and was on two All-Defensive Teams during his seven-year career. At 6-foot-10, he can bring a versatile defender who can guard power forwards and swingmen. Plus, he was always a strong rebounder.
Mattering on the price, Simmons could be a very useful piece off the New York bench next season. And their title run this spring showed the value of bench depth in a title run.