According to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, the Brooklyn Nets and Ben Simmons are working on a contract buyout.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers are potential suitors for Simmons.
Shams says the Clippers and Cavs are potential suitors for Ben Simmons if bought out by the Nets pic.twitter.com/Tkk6s4FE5Q
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) February 6, 2025
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 Philadelphia 76ers and Nets.
The Sixers drafted Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of LSU. Simmons, 28, is making $40.3 million this season in the final year of his contract.
Simmons is a gifted passer and rebounder. However, he can’t shoot. The Melbourne native has made only five 3-pointers in his career.
Under first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson, the Cavaliers are 41-10 on the season. They have the second-best record in the NBA.
Cleveland is expected to start Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen after acquiring Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks for Caris LeVert and Georges Niang.
Hunter is averaging 19.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists this season while shooting 46.1% from the field, 39.3% from beyond the arc and 85.8% from the free-throw line. He’s making $21.7 million.
The 27-year-old Hunter has career averages of 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Virginia.
The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. They look like title contenders this season in Atkinson’s system and now their offense will be even more explosive with Hunter in the mix.
In his final game with the Hawks, Hunter put up 22 points and 10 rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Clippers are in sixth place in the West. They acquired Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Hawks and Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards.