Hoops Wire

Category: Knicks

Latest New York Knicks Rumors and News.

  • Rumor: Ben Simmons Expected To Sign With Celtics Or Knicks

    Rumor: Ben Simmons Expected To Sign With Celtics Or Knicks

    NBA, New York Knicks, Ben Simmons, Boston Celtics
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    Ben Simmons is expected to sign with the Boston Celtics or New York Knicks, according to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. 

    Siegel thinks Simmons will join the Knicks. 

    “Ben Simmons has drawn the most interest from the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks and is expected to choose where he will play during the 2025-26 season soon, sources said,” Siegel wrote. “Maybe another team could swoop in and convince Simmons to sign with them, but these are the two most discussed avenues among league circles for the former first overall pick. My guess: Simmons ends up in New York.”

    Simmons played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season. He averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks in 51 games while shooting 52.0% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line. 

    The Philadelphia 76ers selected Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of LSU. Simmons missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury, but he established himself as one of the top two-way players in the league from 2017-18 to 2020-21, making three All-Star teams, one All-NBA team and two All-Defensive teams. 

    However, everything changed for Simmons in the 2021 playoffs. He lost total confidence in his shot, including layups. The lefty missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a holdout and back injury. He requested a trade from the Sixers and was traded to the Nets for James Harden. 

    Simmons has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks. He’s 29 years old. 

    The Celtics lost to the Knicks in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in six games. Jayson Tatum is expected to miss all of next season recovering from his torn right Achilles tendon. 

    Meanwhile, New York made the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. The Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

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  • Rumor: Knicks Have Been Monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Situation With Bucks Very Closely Before Offseason Started

    Rumor: Knicks Have Been Monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Situation With Bucks Very Closely Before Offseason Started

    Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, NBA
    Elsa/Getty Images

    The New York Knicks have been monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation with the Milwaukee Bucks very closely before the offseason started, according to NBA reporter James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. 

    If Antetokounmpo requests a trade from the Bucks, the Knicks will probably heavily pursue the superstar.

    “It is my understanding that Leon Rose and company have been monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee very closely, even before the offseason started,” Edwards III wrote. “Many around the league believe the Knicks are interested in star hunting, and while that opportunity hasn’t popped up yet, I certainly believe it’s in the cards if the right situation presents itself.”

    New York signed Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $150 million extension before August 6, so the small forward can still be traded next season. 

    Milwaukee would likely ask for Bridges in an Antetokounmpo trade. 

    “As for the Bridges extension, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that New York waited this long into the summer to get it done,” Edwards III wrote. “The Giannis situation has lingered (and is continuing to somewhat linger), but people I’ve talked to are fairly confident Antetokounmpo will start next season with Milwaukee. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Knicks signed Bridges to an extension before Aug. 6.

    “A player who signs an extension can’t be traded for six months. If Bridges signed his extension on Aug. 6 or later, he wouldn’t be eligible to get moved until next summer, as six months from Aug. 6 would take us past the expected February trade deadline. The fact that Bridges signed before then makes him eligible to be traded, if the Knicks choose to do that, before the deadline.

    “I don’t believe New York did this because it is without a doubt trading Bridges. I believe Rose and company did this to give themselves some flexibility in the event something — like Giannis wanting out — becomes a possibility.”

    Antetokounmpo has spent his entire NBA career with the Bucks. The future Hall of Famer guided the franchise to the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns. 

    However, Milwaukee has won only one postseason series since winning the 2021 title. 

    Antetokounmpo will make $54.1 million next season. The Bucks signed the do-it-all swingman to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023.

    One of the best players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a one-time Finals MVP, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Star. He has career averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks.

    New York made the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. The Knickerbockers lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

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  • NBA Notes: Raptors, Immanuel Quickley, Jordan Clarkson, Knicks, Sixers, Tyrese Maxey

    NBA Notes: Raptors, Immanuel Quickley, Jordan Clarkson, Knicks, Sixers, Tyrese Maxey

    Immanuel Quickley, Raptors, NBA
    File photo

    A five-year deal completed nearly a year ago is still shaping the way NBA teams and agents are approaching restricted free agency.

    According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, the contract that Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley signed last July has become a major sticking point. The deal, which includes $162.5 million in guaranteed money and another $12.5 million in incentives, averages $32.5 million per season and could reach $35 million annually.

    “The Immanuel Quickley contract has totally screwed up restricted free agency,” Marks said during an appearance on ESPN’s YouTube channel. “Because that’s where agents are looking at like the benchmark. Certainly, [Bulls guard] Josh Giddey’s like, ‘I want that contract.’ That number has screwed up a lot of things.”

    Marks said agents are citing Quickley’s deal in negotiations for other young guards with similar production and upside, but teams haven’t been willing to match the price tag.

    “I don’t think Toronto got enough heat for that number,” he added. “Because Immanuel Quickley is not a $32, $33 million guy.”

    Clarkson Still a Wild Card for Knicks

    The Knicks are hoping Jordan Clarkson provides a spark off the bench, but there is uncertainty about what exactly he brings at this stage of his career.

    As one Western Conference scout told The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Clarkson hasn’t played meaningful basketball in quite a while and remains a bit of a mystery heading into the 2025–26 season.

    Still, one Knicks source believes the veteran scorer is “exactly what we needed,” and sees him as a strong fit off the bench. A veteran coach who spoke with Bondy sees upside but also concerns.

    “High-level shooter. Good going right,” the coach said. “Wild-card-type player. Throw him out there and see if he can get hot. But there’s not much else from a production standpoint. And it’s ugly on defense.”

    Maxey Gives Back in Philly

    Tyrese Maxey continues to make an impact beyond the court.

    The 76ers guard hosted a free youth basketball camp over the weekend and donated $60,000 through his foundation, per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.

    Maxey’s community efforts have become a regular part of his offseason work in the Philadelphia area.

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  • Knicks Make Mikal Bridges Extension Official: ‘A Vital Part of Our Team’s Success’

    Knicks Make Mikal Bridges Extension Official: ‘A Vital Part of Our Team’s Success’

    Mikal Bridges, Knicks, NBA
    File photo

    It’s official. Mikal Bridges is staying in New York.

    The Knicks announced the four-year, $150 million extension on Saturday, locking in one of their core pieces for the long haul. The deal includes a player option for the 2029-30 season and a trade kicker.

    “His abilities on both sides of the court in every game made him a vital part of our team’s success last season,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement. “We look forward to his continued growth and development as part of the Knicks family for years to come.”

    Bridges, 28, agreed to terms earlier in the week. The forward is accepting slightly less than the maximum he was eligible to receive, which would have come in at $156.2 million.

    The move follows a similar path to Jalen Brunson’s extension last summer, giving the front office a little more flexibility with the roster moving forward.

    Bridges was entering the final year of his current deal and would have been eligible for a larger payday had he reached unrestricted free agency in 2026.

    Acquired from Brooklyn last summer in a blockbuster deal that included five first-round picks, Bridges delivered a solid first campaign in New York. He averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 82 games. He has yet to miss a game in his NBA career.

    His shooting dipped, connecting on just 35.4 percent from deep, the lowest mark since his rookie season. But he played a key role in helping the Knicks reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1999.

    Bridges joins Brunson and OG Anunoby as foundational pieces signed through at least the 2027-28 season. Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both hold player options for that year.

    Now officially extended, Bridges will be ineligible to be traded for six months.

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  • Source: Knicks Got Intel Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Request Trade From Bucks Before Signing Mikal Bridges To Extension

    Source: Knicks Got Intel Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Request Trade From Bucks Before Signing Mikal Bridges To Extension

    Mikal Bridges, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, NBA
    Elsa/Getty Images

    The New York Knicks got intel that Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t request a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks before signing Mikal Bridges to an extension, an NBA source told Hoops Wire on Thursday. 

    The Knicks are signing Bridges to a four-year, $150 million contract extension, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN.

    Mikal Bridges’ new deal includes a player option for the 2029-30 season. The small forward, who has a trade kicker now, is ineligible to be traded for six months.

    The Knicks would have pursued Giannis Antetokounmpo had the two-time MVP requested a trade from the Bucks. All signs point toward Antetokounmpo remaining in Milwaukee. 

    The Bucks reached the mountain top in 2021, winning the championship against the Phoenix Suns in six games. However, the franchise has won just one postseason series since then. 

    After the Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games, Charania reported Antetokounmpo was open-minded about leaving Milwaukee for the first time in his career. 

    Since then, the Bucks have waived and stretched Damian Lillard, signed Myles Turner and Gary Harris, re-signed Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Jericho Sims and traded Pat Connaughton to the Charlotte Hornets.

    “We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world,” a Bucks front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac. “We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done.”

    Antetokounmpo has spent his entire career with the Bucks. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. 

    One of the greatest players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo will make $54.1 million next season. The Bucks signed the future Hall of Famer to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023.

    Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a one-time Finals MVP, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Star. He has career averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks.

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  • Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell Top NBA.com’s Ranking Of East’s Best

    Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell Top NBA.com’s Ranking Of East’s Best

    Cade Cunningham, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pistons, Bucks, NBA
    Imagn

    NBA.com dropped its list of the top 10 players in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2025-26 season, and as usual, it’s bound to stir up some debate. No surprise at the top — it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and then everybody else. But the rest of the list? There’s room for discussion.

    Here’s how it shook out, along with a few quick thoughts:

    1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
    No-brainer. Two MVPs, a ring, and arguably the best two-way player in the league. He’s still in his prime, still averaging 30 and 12, and still giving teams nightmares. His jumper is shaky, sure, but let’s not overthink it. He’s the standard.

    2. Jalen Brunson, Knicks
    A Clutch Player of the Year and the heart of the Knicks’ revival. Brunson made believers out of skeptics, even if he’s not the most traditional point guard. Maybe doesn’t pass as much as you’d like, but makes up for it by delivering when it matters. Still feels a touch high here, but hard to ignore the last two seasons.

    3. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
    First Team All-NBA, does it on both ends, and is a proven playoff performer. Has now transformed two franchises. If anything, his scoring dip has been overstated — as he took on more of a leadership role in Cleveland last season and still got buckets when it counted. Can he climb even higher next year? Wouldn’t rule it out.

    4. Paolo Banchero, Magic
    Didn’t play a full season, but was excellent when he did. Scoring, passing, versatility … it’s all there. He’s not quite there defensively yet, but at just 22, he’s already the face of a playoff team.

    5. Cade Cunningham, Pistons
    It finally clicked. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, Cunningham looked like the No. 1 pick Detroit hoped for, a big, smooth playmaker who runs the show and makes everyone better. If he can stay healthy, this ranking might be too low.

    6. Joel Embiid, 76ers
    Tough call. On talent alone, he could be No. 1. On durability? Maybe outside the top 10. The truth is somewhere in the middle. He’s dominant when he’s out there, but the Sixers just can’t count on him for more than 55 games, and they know it.

    7. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
    DPOY. All-NBA. Quietly elite. Mobley is still growing into his full offensive game, but defensively, he’s one of the most impactful players in the league. He guarded everybody last season and made it look easy. With Mitchell and Mobley both on this list, the Cavs have one of the best young duos in the East.

    8. Jaylen Brown, Celtics
    A little bit of a step back after the Celtics’ 2024 title run, but still a highly efficient scorer and strong defender. We’ll get a real sense of what he can do as a No. 1 option with Jayson Tatum expected to miss significant time, if not all of next season.

    9. Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
    Somehow still underrated after a full season with New York. One of the best-shooting bigs the league has ever seen. The question is: Can he be more than a stats guy? Can he help Brunson win when it matters most? We’re about to find out, again.

    10. Trae Young, Hawks
    Say what you want — yes, he’s a defensive liability, yes his shooting efficiency dipped — but he’s still one of the best passers and toughest covers in the league. He may have been better last season than at any other point in his career.

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  • Rumor: Knicks Remain Interested In Ben Simmons

    Rumor: Knicks Remain Interested In Ben Simmons

    NBA, New York Knicks, Ben Simmons
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    The New York Knicks remain interested in Ben Simmons, according to NBA reporter Ian Begley of SNY. 

    Simmons, who played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season, is an unrestricted free agent.

    “Ben Simmons is certainly a candidate for the Knicks’ final roster spot,” Begley wrote. “As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his decision. He’s garnered interest from several teams around the league.”

    Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Nets and Clippers last season in 51 games. The lefty shot 52.0% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line.

    The 29-year-old Simmons began his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of LSU. The Melbourne native has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists with the Sixers, Nets and Clippers. 

    Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 season due to mental health and back issues. He requested a trade from the Sixers and was traded to the Nets in the blockbuster James Harden trade. 

    The Knicks made the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. They lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

    New York shockingly fired Tom Thibodeau as head coach and hired Mike Brown. Thibodeau went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and won the 2021 Coach of the Year Award with the Knicks. 

    Brown has coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. He is 454-304 in the regular season and 50-40 in the playoffs. 

    The Knicks have added Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele this offseason. 

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  • NBA Insider ‘Will Never Rule Out The Possibility’ Of LeBron James Playing For Knicks

    NBA Insider ‘Will Never Rule Out The Possibility’ Of LeBron James Playing For Knicks

    LeBron James, NBA, Knicks, Lakers
    Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

    NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line “will never rule out the possibility” of LeBron James playing for the New York Knicks. 

    James loves Madison Square Garden and Knicks president Leon Rose used to be his agent before Rich Paul took over. 

    “I believe that LeBron James’ well-chronicled fondness for playing at Madison Square Garden makes it unwise to say he’ll never be a Knick,” Stein wrote. “I believe that it is far more difficult to gauge the Knicks’ willingness to bring him in, given all the history between Team LeBron and the Knicks’ hierarchy that features former James (and Paul) associates Leon Rose and William Wesley, but I’m just saying: I will never rule out the possibility of No. 23 becoming a Knick someday. Because he is said to love The Garden that much.”

    LeBron met with the Knicks in 2010 when he was an unrestricted free agent. He wound up signing with the Miami Heat. 

    New Knicks head coach Mike Brown coached LeBron on the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron won’t play for New York next season, but he could be interested in signing with the Knickerbockers in the offseason of 2026 when he becomes a free agent for the first time since 2018.

    The Los Angeles Lakers’ preferred scenario is for LeBron’s contract to drop off their books after next season, according to Stein. LeBron will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

    The leading scorer in NBA history, LeBron turns 41 in December. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists for the Lakers last season while shooting 51.3% from the field, 37.6% from beyond the arc and 78.2% from the free-throw line. 

    The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games, while the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals in six games. 

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  • Rumor: Kevin Love Wants To Play In Los Angeles Or New York

    Rumor: Kevin Love Wants To Play In Los Angeles Or New York

    NBA, Kevin Love
    Luke Hales/Getty Images

    Kevin Love wants to play in Los Angeles or New York, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. 

    The Miami Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz. Love and the Jazz are expected to agree to a buyout soon. 

    “So with Kevin Love, to my understanding, he really only wants to be in the big glamour markets,” Fischer said. “I do think it would mostly be something along the lines of Kevin Love going to a New York or a Los Angeles type of situation. So, we’ll see if that can materialize for him.”

    The Lakers and Clippers are in Los Angeles, while the Knicks and Nets are in New York. 

    Love played with Lakers superstar LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers. They won the 2016 title together. 

    Meanwhile, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was the coach of that Cavaliers team in 2016.

    Love averaged 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists for the Heat last season in 23 games while shooting 35.7% from the field, 35.8% from beyond the arc and 69.6% from the free-throw line. 

    Love, 36, has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Heat. The UCLA product has career averages of 16.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 952 NBA games. 

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  • Rumor: Knicks Hope To Sign Mikal Bridges To Extension

    Rumor: Knicks Hope To Sign Mikal Bridges To Extension

    Mikal Bridges, NBA, New York Knicks
    Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

    The New York Knicks “hope” to sign Mikal Bridges to an extension this NBA offseason. 

    “We hope to get something done. When you make the commitment to trade for a player like we did with Mikal, you do it with the intention of them being on the team for a long time,” a Knicks front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac. 

    The Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. Bridges averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first season with the Knicks while shooting 50.0% from the field, 35.4% from beyond the arc and 81.4% from the free-throw line. 

    Bridges will make $24.9 million next season. He can sign a four-year, $156 million extension with the Knicks, who made the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

    Tom Thibodeau was fired as head coach of the Knicks despite going 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and winning the 2021 Coach of the Year Award. He was replaced by Mike Brown. 

    NBA insider Ian Begley of SNY thinks the Knicks will wait to sign Bridges to an extension until they know for certain that Giannis Antetokounmpo is staying with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

    “With the Knicks and all the other teams kind of keeping an eye on Milwaukee and what may or may not happen there, I think one of the reasons why he (Bridges) has not been extended yet is because once you extend him, you cannot trade him for six months,” Begley said on The Putback. “And I think until the Giannis stuff is fully settled, and I don’t think it’s fully settled yet, as much as I’m sure Bucks fans hate to hear that because I would hate to hear that if I was a Bucks fan, but I don’t think it’s fully settled yet.

    “And so as teams continue to keep an eye on that, continue to at least plan with that somewhere in the back of their mind, I think that’s why you haven’t seen Bridges extended yet. When he does extend, I think that would tell you Giannis is put to bed, is off the table in a sense.”

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  • Kings, Knicks Emerging As Top Suitors For Ben Simmons

    Kings, Knicks Emerging As Top Suitors For Ben Simmons

    Ben Simmons, NBA, Clippers, Kings, Knicks
    Getty

    Ben Simmons may have another NBA opportunity on the horizon, with the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks emerging as the most likely suitors for the former All-Star, according to insider Jake Fischer.

    Simmons, 29, remains one of the more recognizable names on the free agent market, though his recent years have been marked by injuries and inconsistency. He appeared in just 51 games last season between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists while mostly serving in a secondary role.

    “We are still anticipating the Kings to be bringing in another veteran guard,” Fischer said in a recent Bleacher Report video segment. “And Ben Simmons is on that list of potential targets, in addition to Russell Westbrook, to Malcolm Brogdon. I think he’d make an interesting addition there.”

    Sacramento currently has 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, along with non-guaranteed deals for Keon Ellis ($2.3 million) and Terence Davis ($2.5 million). The Kings are $9.9 million below the NBA’s first tax apron, giving them some flexibility to make another veteran addition.

    Once viewed as a franchise centerpiece in Philadelphia, Simmons is now fighting to extend his career as a rotational piece, offering size, passing and defensive versatility. He was waived by the Nets in February and signed a short-term deal with the Clippers, but saw limited action in Los Angeles.

    Fischer floated the Timberwolves as a team where Simmons might fit stylistically, though he clarified Minnesota has not shown any actual interest.

    New York, meanwhile, has explored depth options in the backcourt behind Jalen Brunson. The Knicks remain in the mix for Simmons and several others, though no deal appears imminent.

    With training camps roughly two months away, Simmons is one of several higher-profile veterans still unsigned. Where he lands and whether he can still contribute remain open questions.

  • Kings, Knicks Interested In Ben Simmons

    Kings, Knicks Interested In Ben Simmons

    The Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks are interested in Ben Simmons, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. 

    Simmons is an unrestricted free agent. He played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season. 

    “For Ben Simmons, the two teams we’re hearing for him still in the mix are Sacramento New York,” Fischer said. “We’re still anticipating the Kings to be bringing in another veteran guard and Ben Simmons is on that list of potential targets, in addition to Russell Westbrook to Malcolm Brogdon.”

    Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists last season for the Nets and Clippers while shooting 52.0% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line. 

    Simmons was the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He has experienced a huge fall from grace. The lefty has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Nets and Clippers, compiling career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists. 

  • Rumor: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Knicks Hoping LeBron James Gets Bought Out By Lakers Before Next NBA Season

    Rumor: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Knicks Hoping LeBron James Gets Bought Out By Lakers Before Next NBA Season

    Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James
    File photo

    The Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks are hoping LeBron James gets bought out by the Los Angeles Lakers before next season, according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints. 

    James makes too much money ($52.6 million) next season for contenders like the Cavaliers, Mavericks and Knicks to trade for him. 

    However, if James gets bought out by the Lakers before the 2025-26 season starts, the Cavaliers, Mavericks and Knicks can sign him. 

    The odds of James and the Lakers agreeing to a buyout, though, are very, very low. The four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP hasn’t had buyout or trade discussions with Los Angeles, according to Joe Vardon and Dan Woike of The Athletic. 

    All signs point toward James starting next season on the Lakers, who lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. 

    If Los Angeles struggles next season, James can request a trade or agree to a buyout. The NBA legend has a no-trade clause in his contract. 

    James turns 41 in December. He’s the oldest active player in the NBA, but you wouldn’t know that from watching him play. The future Hall of Famer made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. 

    James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists for the Lakers last season. The Akron native shot 51.3% from the field, 37.6% from beyond the arc and 78.2% from the free-throw line in 70 games. 

    The Cavaliers lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in five games, the Mavericks missed the postseason after making the 2024 NBA Finals and the Knicks lost to the Pacers in the conference finals in six games. 

    James, of course, has played for Cleveland twice. He’s the best player in franchise history and will get his No. 23 jersey retired by the organization one day. 

    James has been heavily linked to the Mavericks since Dallas has Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Jason Kidd and Phil Handy, while Knicks president Leon Rose used to be LeBron’s agent before Rich Paul took over and new head coach Mike Brown coached The King in Cleveland. 

  • NBA Notes: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Heat, Terry Rozier, Knicks, Josh Hart

    NBA Notes: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Heat, Terry Rozier, Knicks, Josh Hart

    Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks, NBA rumors
    File photo

    Bucks

    Bucks GM Jon Horst said he envisions Giannis Antetokounmpo playing even more of a point forward role next season. So yeah, that probably indicates that the Bucks believe Antetokounmpo will return.

    “I feel like we’ve always played with a certain type of guard,” Horst said in an interview with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “Typically a guard that’s willing to catch and shoot, a guard that is capable of being a primary play-maker, but doesn’t need to be a primary play-maker.

    “And I think some of our best teams that we’ve ever had — and we’ve had a lot of great teams — we had guys at the guard spot in that mold. They can really shoot. They’re capable and willing defenders, and they could go five, six, seven possessions and just play off Giannis, or they can go five, six, seven possessions and they can initiate our offense.

    “And that’s what we’ve tried to do. We tried to build a team like that this offseason. Take the opportunity for Giannis to go even further down that road. I would say we’ve always doubled down on it, maybe we’re tripling down or quadrupling down on it now.”

    Heat

    Heat guard Terry Rozier has not been cleared by federal investigators as part of their ongoing probe into illegal sports betting, according to Tom Haberstroh on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast.

    Rozier’s name surfaced amid a broader investigation that includes Malik Beasley and Jontay Porter, with the latter having already been banned for life by the NBA.

    This latest update contradicts a previous suggestion from ESPN’s Shams Charania, who appeared to indicate Rozier had been cleared during a June segment on The Pat McAfee Show. However, Charania’s comment was brief and offhand, and never formally followed up in a report, leaving room for doubt.

    NBA insider Chris Haynes confirmed Haberstroh’s report, writing that Rozier “has not been cleared of any wrongdoing and remains under federal investigation.”

    Rozier, 30, played in 64 games for Miami last season, his first full year with the team after being acquired from Charlotte in 2024. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25.9 minutes per game. He remains under contract through 2025–26, when he’s set to earn approximately $26.6 million in the final year of his deal.

    Knicks

    Knicks guard Josh Hart has undergone surgery to repair an injury to his right ring finger, the team announced Tuesday.

    The 6-foot-4 veteran initially sustained the injury during New York’s playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals, per the team. He is expected to resume basketball activities later this summer.

    Hart, 30, has become a vital piece of the Knicks’ core since arriving from Portland in 2023, known for his versatility, toughness and team-first approach. A Villanova product and close friend of Jalen Brunson, Hart stepped into a full-time starting role for the first time last season and delivered across the board.

    In 77 games during the 2024–25 season, he averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals.