Ben Simmons’ agent addresses buyout status with Brooklyn Nets

Ben Simmons is finalizing a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets to become a free agent, ESPN reported Friday morning.

However, Simmons’ agent Bernie Lee responded to claims from the report that his client would be meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers starting Friday to determine his next landing spot. NBA insider Chris Haynes also listed the Houston Rockets as a team rumored to meet with Simmons. 

“I just saw some of the other reporting,” Lee stated, via New York Post reporter Brian Lewis. “I want to be really clear. Ben hasn’t met with anyone nor is he. We are having conversations with the Nets and when there is something to be said we will let everyone know.”

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez wasn’t prepared to comment on the former All-NBA guard’s absence other than stating Brooklyn would revisit the situation at a later date.

Ninety games — that's all the former No. 1 pick could give the borough thus far, averaging 6.5 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds through three seasons. Lee confirms the Nets are discussing the future with Simmons, but he also leaves a ton of room for speculation.

The result will soon show face, but the Nets’ Simmons era is most likely over.

Kurt Helin of NBC Sports says Simmons is expected to meet with interested parties and carve out a bench role on a playoff contender, presumably at a minimum, before finalizing his buyout with Brooklyn. Simmons has previously expressed displeasure with the organization over its decision to attempt a tank, saying, “We’ve got to go in there like we want to win regardless of what the front office is expecting.” 

No scenario benefits him if it involves staying in Brooklyn, and the Nets haven’t really gotten much out of Simmons’ presence for years. 

From the outside looking it, it could be a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for another team if Simmons accepts a bench role on a floor-level contact and can show consistent flashes from the past, as he’s done on sporadic occasions during his Nets tenure. Low risk is also sometimes too much risk for young, budding rosters like the Cavaliers and Rockets that are trying to build postseason momentum.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was first to suggest Cleveland might pursue the Nets guard, detailing its desire to acquire a perimeter player with size and defensive capabilities on the buyout market. Bull guard Lonzo Ball was also linked to the Cavaliers in this conversion but since has signed a two-year, $20 million extension with Chicago. 

Simmons could certainly show just enough promise to make one of these teams believe in him for a legitimate playoff role, but is he capable of being there for them when it matters most? Everything we’ve seen from the three-time All-Star through seven seasons says otherwise.