There have been reports that former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons could call it quits and retire from the NBA. This offseason, no team has shown significant interest in signing the free agent guard after he finished the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Simmons appeared in 18 games for the LA team, averaging a career-low 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
It was one of the worst runs for the Australian star after he had MVP-like seasons with the 76ers. He was also selected to three All-Star games during his run in Philly. But after his blunder in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons fell off.
He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets that summer. Simmons reportedly damaged his relationships with his co-star, Joel Embiid and several other staff members of the organization.
Credit: AP Photo
Now, the 2018 Rookie of the Year is at a crossroads with his career. Without a team showing significant interest in him, there’s a chance the 2025-26 season will start and he’ll remain as a free agent.
The good news is that Simmons reportedly repaired his relationship with several staff members of the 76ers organization. This includes his friendship with Embiid. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported about it on Sunday.
“There had been some overtures, I would say, between Ben Simmons and the Sixers, once he was securing a buyout from Brooklyn,” Fischer said.
“He still has some friends in the area. I believe his brother was living in Philadelphia for a time. There was some interest from Philadelphia at that point in time.
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 8, 2025
However, Fischer doesn’t have any information on whether there’s a chance that the Philadelphia 76ers might pursue him this offseason. But the repaired relationships could be a step closer for Simmons to reconsider retirement.
“But I can’t say I have any update information on the Sixers’ interest in Ben Simmons there,” he added. “I do think Embiid and Ben have repaired that type of fracturing that went down behind the scenes as well.”
Philadelphia 76ers star makes bold statement ahead of the new season
The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t have the best run last season. Injuries plagued the team, which caused the stars to spend a limited amount of time on the court. The team also missed the postseason for the first time since 2018.
This summer, All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George used the time to allow their bodies to heal and prepare for the upcoming campaign. George recently appeared as a guest on Speed’s live stream. During his appearance, he had a bold prediction about what’s to come next season.
“We look good bro,” George stated. “We look straight. We healthy.”
“We look good bro. Yeah, we look straight, we healthy.”
– Paul George (via HouseOfHighlights/Tiktok) pic.twitter.com/gnRVepN4WZ
— Philly Sixers Galaxy (@sixers_galaxy) September 3, 2025
Health is one of the most important aspects of what next season will be like for the 76ers. But based on what George said, he expects the team to be one of the best performers in the league.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
