It wasn’t too long ago that Ben Simmons was one of the NBA’s more promising young talents. A 6-foot-10 ball-handler who could play multiple positions but seemed to function well as a point guard or point forward, he possessed ample athleticism and was a naturally strong defender.
However, he not only didn’t hit perimeter shots, but he almost completely refused to attempt any shots from outside of the paint. After demanding the Philadelphia 76ers trade him in 2021, his career went through a rapid downward spiral, during which he was dealing with injuries and saw his production decline precipitously.
After being out of the NBA last season, Simmons is reportedly taking part in a player-led minicamp for the Australian national team, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN. This news has led some to wonder if Simmons will attempt a return to the NBA, and given the Los Angeles Lakers’ need for a starting-level wing or forward, there are likely some Lakers fans who want the organization to take a flier on him.
A player such as Simmons is tempting, especially since he’s only 30 years of age and doesn’t have a lot of mileage on him, but as Colin Keane of Lake Show Life wrote, there isn’t a lot of substance behind that intrigue.
“Simmons as a small-ball five backing up Walker Kessler instead of Kevon Looney! Simmons as a defensive monster roaming behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves!
“Intriguing, innit?
“Sure is. But then again, intrigue has never been something Simmons fails to produce in NBA onlookers, even of the front office variety. It’s the whole execution and playing basketball thing that Simmons has failed at time and time again since around 2021 or so.
“Simmons didn’t play at all last season while recovering from multiple injuries. He played in 18 regular-season games and five playoff games for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25. He was solid for the Clips, but nothing to get excited about.”
What the Lakers need in a starting wing or forward is two-way play, which means excellent 3-point shooting, something Simmons cannot exactly provide at all. Then there is the matter of his mental qualities. The narrative is that he’s mentally weak, and this quality became beyond evident when, during Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks, he passed up an open dunk and scored just five points on four shot attempts.
The 76ers lost the game, 103-96, and when coach Doc Rivers was asked afterward if Simmons could be the starting point guard on a championship team, he simply said he didn’t know the answer to that question.
Simmons took what seemed like a neutral statement as an insult and demanded a trade while cutting off almost all communication between himself and the Sixers organization. After the organization traded him months later to the Brooklyn Nets, he was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back, and he would continue to have back problems for a couple of years afterward.
Still, Keane feels that Simmons may be worth taking a chance on — under several conditions.
“Now, Simmons’ godfather is telling the press that Simmons’ prime athleticism has returned and this is the best he’s felt in years … classic quotes that you’d be feeding reporters to get teams to call.
“But back to the question — should the Lakers be one of those teams? Normally, this would be a big, fat ‘NO’ from me, but the interesting thing this time around with Simmons is that he’s reportedly willing to play on a minimum deal.
“Without much fiscal risk involved at all, the Lakers might be tempted to take a look at Simmons and see if his defensive versatility can be additive in the way that one assumes it would be, provided Simmons stays healthy (humongous IF) and actually still desires to play the sport of basketball (another big mystery).
“The Lakers have enough ball-handlers and creators now that they’ve added Collin Sexton to [Luka] Doncic and {Austin] Reaves, so Simmons wouldn’t be doing his vintage point-forward act, which is a good thing. At this phase in his career, you’d want Simmons to just be rim-running as a five, crashing the glass, and exerting all of his energy on the defensive end.”
Simmons has career averages of 13.1 points on 55.8% shooting, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals a game over seven NBA seasons. He was voted into the All-Star game three times and made the All-Defensive first team twice.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer warns against Lakers taking a chance on Ben Simmons
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
