Simmons bought out by Nets, to join Clippers
Ben Simmons will join the Los Angeles Clippers after the former No. 1 overall draft pick agreed to a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
Simmons had been with the Nets since they acquired the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year in the deal that sent now Clippers teammate James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2022.
Simmons had not been playing for Philadelphia at the time after requesting a trade in August 2021.
One month after being dealt to the Nets, Simmons was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back.
That was the beginning of Simmons’ injury-plagued tenure in Brooklyn.
Thank you, @BenSimmons25 pic.twitter.com/wTzvAzqCgG
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 8, 2025
He did not take the court for the Nets that season and underwent back surgery in early May 2022.
Simmons made his Brooklyn debut on opening night of the 2022-23 campaign, but since the beginning of that season, he went on to play in just 90 of the Nets’ 216 games before Saturday’s buyout.
The 28-year-old Australian averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds overall with Brooklyn.
With Philadelphia, Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 275 games from 2017-21 while earning three All-Star selections.
Brooklyn (18-34) is in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, while the Clippers (28-23) entered Saturday three games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for first place in the Pacific Division.