Knicks deny making contract offer to Ben Simmons

Despite recent buzz, the Knicks never made a formal offer to free agent guard Ben Simmons, league sources confirmed.

SNY’s Ian Begley was the first to report that while the Knicks held dialogue with Simmons’ camp earlier this summer, a contract was never on the table.

That lines up with what Hoops Wire has heard as well — there was interest, but no deal.

The 29-year-old guard-forward is currently without representation after agent Bernie Lee dropped him as a client, a move that only added to the uncertainty surrounding Simmons’ future.

Retirement has been floated as a possibility if the right opportunity doesn’t come along.

Once viewed as a franchise cornerstone in Philadelphia, Simmons has struggled to regain footing since the infamous 2021 playoffs, when his offensive confidence collapsed in a second-round loss to Atlanta.

He requested a trade soon after and was eventually shipped to Brooklyn in the James Harden deal. Stops with the Nets and Clippers were marked by injuries, inconsistency, and diminishing roles.

Simmons appeared in 51 games last season between Brooklyn and Los Angeles, averaging 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field.

That production was a far cry from his peak Sixers years, when he made three All-Star teams, two All-Defensive squads and was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.

Now, as training camps approach, the former No. 1 pick remains unsigned and in limbo — his career at a crossroads, with the Knicks making clear that despite some exploratory conversations, they weren’t the ones to extend him a lifeline.