Ben Simmons has become an easy punchline, but his name is still hanging around as a possible NBA comeback, and that alone makes the Indiana Pacers worth mentioning. If his athleticism is really back, the Pacers could at least take a hard look at him for their final roster spot.
There’s a real basketball case for it, too. At his peak, Simmons was one of the league’s better perimeter defenders and a wrecking ball in transition, creating open threes and flying downhill in the fast break.
That version of him is long gone, which is why he’s now on his third team and still hasn’t drawn a minimum offer. But the appeal is obvious enough to keep the door cracked.
For Indiana, the fit is unusually clean on paper. Simmons would give them another playmaker, more small-ball center minutes, some backup point guard work, and a player who can help generate even more three-pointers. Those are three of the biggest holes the Pacers still need to address.
What he doesn’t bring is shooting, and that part is impossible to ignore. Simmons has built a reputation as one of the least willing shooters in the sport. Still, basketball isn’t only about shot attempts, and his passing could improve the quality of looks the rest of the roster gets.
The bigger issue is how Indiana would actually use him. The Pacers are expected to lean on an eight- or nine-man rotation, with the starters joined by TJ McConnell, Kelly Oubre, and Obi Toppin.
That doesn’t leave much room for a project. Would they really trim minutes from their best players to try to rebuild Simmons?
Probably not.
And the bench isn’t exactly overflowing with answers. Counting on Quenton Jackson, Braden Smith, Jay Huff, or any of the deeper options to swing things is a stretch. That’s what keeps the conversation alive.
The real questions are blunt ones: is Simmons still capable of helping at all, is he going to be in the rotation, and is he too much of a spectacle to sign if he isn’t going to play? He was not good the last time we saw him, but there’s still a chance something is there.
That’s why the fit feels both tempting and messy. If the Pacers aren’t willing to actually give Simmons a chance, then there’s no point in doing it.
So no, Indiana doesn’t exactly make sense for Ben Simmons if you want the safe, tidy version of roster building. But if you’re willing to get a little weird, that’s where the idea starts to look interesting.
In Other News...
Pacers Send A Clear Message After Another National TV Snub
The NBAs first big schedule drop brought another reminder that Indiana is still working to change how the league sees it. Despite reaching the NBA Finals in the 2024-25 season, the Pacers were left off both the season-opening nationally televised games and the Christmas Day slate, even with most of their core back and additions such as Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. in place.
It is the kind of omission that lands a little harder when a team has already shown it can belong on the biggest stage. Indiana also enters this year without Tyrese Haliburton, whose injury kept the Pacers out of the 2025-26 season, and the full schedule later this week will show just how often the league plans to spotlight a group that has already earned more attention than this one early reveal provided. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Murphy III Still Looks Like A Perfect Pacers Fit
Trey Murphy III keeps looking like the kind of wing the Pacers would covet if they ever get serious about reshaping the edges of their roster. His 2025-26 season has only reinforced that appeal, with the combination of size, shooting and two-way value making him an easy fit in almost any lineup, and especially one built around pace and spacing the way Indiana likes to play.
For now, though, this is more about future mapping than anything concrete. The idea is that Indiana could circle back around the 2026 offseason or trade deadline if the opportunity opens up, with Kelly Oubre Jr. mentioned as a possible piece to help make something work, but there is no deal in place and no indication anything is imminent. [Read more 🡒]