Ben Simmons was released by the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday following an agreement on a buyout that marks the end of a challenging period for the franchise, which had aimed to build around star players.
The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft was absent during the Nets’ recent win against the Miami Heat, as both parties finalized the buyout agreement.

Nets coach Jordi Fernandez offered high praise for Simmons’s efforts to recover from a series of injuries that hampered his effectiveness while with the team.
He noted that Simmons’ journey included a season missed entirely due to injury, followed by another season where his participation was limited.
“It’s impressive to see that he’s come back and played over 20 minutes, especially after going through surgery,” Fernández remarked, acknowledging the hurdles Simmons faced during his time with Brooklyn.

The acquisition of Simmons was initially seen as a hopeful move when the Nets traded James Harden for him at the 2022 deadline. Unfortunately, he was never able to share the court with superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving due to a back injury sustained while trying to regain his playing form after an extended absence from the game.
Unfortunately, Simmons continued to struggle with injuries, primarily dealing with nerve damage in his lower back, causing him to participate in only a fraction of the 2022-23 season as both Durant and Irving were traded.
Last season, he managed to play in just 15 games.

In the 2023 season, Simmons appeared in 33 of the 52 games Brooklyn played, starting 24 of them, while averaging 6.2 points and 6.9 assists per game.
Simmons, who is earning $40 million this season, will hit free agency after this year. Recent reports indicate that he plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers for the remainder of the season.

On the eve of a game against the Utah Jazz, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank acknowledged that the team was exploring the buyout market for potential acquisitions, but he refrained from discussing Simmons directly, as he had yet to clear waivers.
“We’ve been lucky with our buyouts,” Frank said, mentioning prior successful additions like Reggie Jackson and Russell Westbrook. “Players enjoy playing for coach Tyronn Lue, and they tend to develop a fondness for our franchise, so we’ll continue to assess how we can fulfill our needs through the buyout market.”