5 Ideal Landing Spots for Ben Simmons

The former All-Star could be a highly impactful buyout get for the team that picks him up

Ben Simmons is not who he used to be. The three-time All-Star has dropped off significantly from his peak form, and his decline has come to the tune of ridicule from internet trolls. Quietly, though, he’s transitioned into being a very valuable role player. His passing and defensive abilities are still there and he can score inside when he’s feeling aggressive. The Nets bought him out today, opening things up for him to land on a team where he can compete in the postseason. Since Ben Simmons made more than the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, Simmons is unable to sign with the following franchises: Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks or Phoenix Suns. With that in mind, here are five teams that should be trying to sign Ben Simmons.

3 teams with reported interest in Ben Simmons

Per Shams Charania and Chris Haynes, the polarizing former All-Star is drawing real interest from three teams with title aspirations. Those three teams are the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Rockets present themselves as a unique landing spot for Simmons’ skillset as a team that could look to employ Simmons in a variety of ways. His perimeter ball-handling would add another dose of playmaking into Houston’s guard room. Simmons may also fit in as a unique small-ball five behind 2025 NBA All-Star Alperen Sengun. Simmons’ defensive versatility would allow Houston to aggressively switch everything in select lineups, especially those featuring the Terror Twins (Amen Thompson and Tari Eason). Simmons’ history with Ime Udoka dating back to their days together with the Philadelphia 76ers makes the Rockets a very realistic landing spot.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been arguably the best team in the NBA this season. After a strong trade deadline which included dipping below the luxury tax and landing a huge upgrade to their starting lineup in De’Andre Hunter, the Cavs might not be done yet. Simmons would be a fun fit in Cleveland given their high-dosage of ball-screens and Kenny Atkinson’s fantastic offensive flow that has produced incredible results this season. The Cavaliers may look at Simmons as solid fit next to breakout big man Evan Mobley as Mobley’s three-point volume has sky-rocketed this season.

The third team reportedly considering Ben Simmons heavily as of now is the Los Angeles Clippers. Steve Ballmer’s revamped crew without Paul George have played strongly all season as a breakout season from Norm Powell and another step forward from Ivica Zubac have the Clips in the thick of a Western Conference playoff race. After trading backup point guard Kevin Porter Jr. to Milwaukee for wing MarJon Beauchamp and dishing Terance Mann to the Hawks for Bogdan Bogdanovic and draft capital, the Clippers are in need of another offensive facilitator for when James Harden sits. Notoriously, Harden and Simmons were traded for each other at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline, but now may be en route to playing together in LA this season. The Clippers’ incredible defense spear-headed by assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy may find extreme value in Simmons’ switchability on the defensive end of the court.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings currently have no identity. They’re not a high-octane offensive team like they were in 2022-23, and they’re certainly not a defensive team, either. What they do have, though, is the goal of making the playoffs. Ben Simmons could be the missing piece that takes them there. 

Sacramento’s offense is centered around Domantas Sabonis as a high-post playmaker. When the big man rests, they don’t have anyone who can direct handoffs and off-ball actions like he can, so they go into “DeMar DeRozan please save us” mode. As good as DeRozan is, an iso-heavy offense with him at the helm just isn’t the move. Ben Simmons, while not a center size-wise, could operate exactly like Sabonis when needed. He’s a phenomenal passer who can hit cutters from the elbow or kick it out to shooters from the short roll. Simmons can also be a downhill scoring threat at times, especially when rolling. Adding the former star as a backup would ensure the Kings always have their preferred offensive system in place. Additionally, when the team shocked the NBA world in 2022-23, they were incredibly dangerous in transition. They’ve now fallen to the middle of the pack in that area and it’s a big reason why they’re no longer a top seed. Ben Simmons knows how to start and finish fast breaks and could help restore some of Sactown’s transition glory. 

Simmons wouldn’t single-handedly fix Sacramento’s defensive woes, but he would give them a huge boost. The LSU product can switch onto every position and hold his own. He would form a formidable perimeter defensive trio with Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray that could mask some of the team’s interior defensive deficiencies. 

Indiana Pacers 

The Pacers have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the start of the new year. They’re getting it done on both ends, ascending back to the top of the league offensively while improving massively on D in the process. Despite how good they’ve looked, they’re still not on the same tier as Eastern Conference top dogs such as Boston and Cleveland. Ben Simmons would help them get closer to that upper echelon. 

His quick decision making and downhill finishing make him a great fit for the high-paced, transition-centric style of offense the team prefers to play. In the half-court, Simmons could be used as a big man, setting lots of on-ball screens for Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana is lucky to have one of basketball’s best stretch centers in Myles Turner, and he could spend more time spotting up behind the arc to allow for Simmons to be maximized. On the other end, Simmons would add fire to the defensive revolution the Pacers have started.

Many might not believe that Ben Simmons can buy into being consistently aggressive and impactful, but that’s an overblown concern in 2025. For the Nets this season, he played his best ball since his last All-Star campaign. Simmons is rejuvenated and ready to play a crucial role for whatever team picks him up.