Report: 76ers, Mavericks Were Interested In Ben Simmons

According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks were interested in signing Ben Simmons. 

Simmons signed with the Los Angeles Clippers after getting bought out by the Brooklyn Nets. 

Simmons made his Clippers debut last night (2/13) against the Utah Jazz. He played 27 minutes and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals while shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. 

“Honestly, I think as soon as he checked in,” Clippers shooting guard Norman Powell said of when the light bulb came on for Simmons in his Clippers debut, via The Athletic. “Just the passes and reads that he made, talking to me especially and some of the other guys. Just when he has the ball, what he’s looking for. Running the lane, getting out in transition and running with them. Because he’s such a great passer, he sees the floor so well.”

The Clippers beat the Jazz by a final score of 120-116. They are now 31-23 on the season. 

“Just taking it a play at a time,” Simmons said of being a part of a customary Clippers comeback. “That’s just my whole philosophy playing the game anyways, having a short-term memory in terms of the next play, focusing on the next play. So whether it goes our way or not, getting a stop, getting a bucket, it’s the next play after that. So just being consistent with that and staying on that.”

A three-time All-Star, Simmons has career averages of 13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists. He has played for the Sixers, Nets and Clippers. 

The Sixers drafted Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of LSU. Simmons is 28. 

“The whole game, just being here, and the guys fighting,” Simmons said when asked what he enjoyed about his debut the most. “We were down, I think, 20 at one point. Guys stayed with it. These games can be dangerous (when) you’re going into the All-Star break. But guys stayed with it, and we finished it the right way.”