Ben Simmons may be getting closer to another NBA shot, and the buzz around his comeback is starting to build.
According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape on Sunday, a coach has confirmed that the three-time All-Star has reportedly regained his athleticism. Simmons backed up that optimism when he told Spears that it is "the best he’s felt in years."
That update was enough to get LeBron James’ friend CuffsThLegend talking. He took to social media and pushed the Philadelphia 76ers to revisit the idea of bringing Simmons back.
"Bring Ben Home @sixers" James' friend posted.
The Philadelphia connection is already part of the conversation. Earlier this summer, it was reported that Simmons was interested in returning to the 76ers next season, and the Australian former basketball star has long-standing ties to the organization. He also addressed the possibility in an interview with Men's Health, where he first hinted at a comeback.
At the same time, Simmons made clear that Philadelphia wasn’t his only possible landing spot. He also mentioned the Miami Heat and spoke positively about what the franchise has built.
“I don’t have a plan on where…. Maybe I’ll go back to Philly.
Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami-I like [Heat head coach] Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture,” he said.
Philadelphia would certainly make for a loud homecoming pitch. The 76ers are being viewed as championship favorites heading into next season after trading for Jaylen Brown and signing James, and the roster is already loaded. Adding Simmons would give them another playmaker if the team decided to take that swing.
There may already be movement elsewhere, too. Spears reported that Simmons has drawn interest from a Western Conference team and said the former star has an offer to attend a training camp on a non-guaranteed deal. Spears did not identify the team.
"He does have an offer from a West team to come to a training camp, a non-guaranteed offer," Spears said. "I think he's hoping if he plays well in this camp with coaches like (Adam) Caporn from the Wizards and other people ... it could lead to something else.
"There's a couple of other teams that are interested. So, I think maybe he'll have an option soon that he really likes."
Spears also said that Simmons has gained attention from other teams.
Simmons has not looked like the same player since the 76ers traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in 2022, but he appears to be pushing hard for another chance. With his comeback work picking up and interest beginning to surface, he may finally be inching toward the next stop in his career.
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