Things are not going well for Ben Simmons before the training camp. Retirement rumors are in the air, and the latest development in regards to his divorce from agent Bernie Lee is not helping his potential return.
Amid this, former Milwaukee Bucks star Jeff Teague, who won the 2021 NBA championship, gave a brutal reality check on the rumors. Teague wants Simmons to retire, and he made the case, citing the former Philadelphia 76ers’ star’s declining skills on the basketball court.
“Yeah it’s over bro y’all seen him when he was playing. He can’t move no more,” Teague said. “He runs like people on 2K. If you’ve got Kawhi’s motion style, you know what I’m talking about. You run like your back hurts. He runs like his back hurts. He’s hurt, I used to always be like okay whatever, but no, he’s legit hurt. What made him effective was pushing the ball and being dynamic in transition and he can’t do that anymore. Or he doesn’t have the opportunity, like nobody believes it.”
According to Teague, Simmons is no longer the force he used to be when he used to do well in transition. His back injury and nerve-related issue have affected his performance, and this was enough to convince Teague that the three-time All-Star should already call it a career.
Simmons draws interest but uncertainty remains
While retirement rumors are buzzing, Ben Simmons hasn’t suggested that he wants to leave the court for good just yet. The former No. 1 overall pick has reportedly drawn interest from the New York Knicks and one more team. But we are in the final month of roster construction, and at this point in time, a contract will be hard to come by.
If there’s any potential contract in the future, it might be just a veteran minimum. With his experience, he could be eligible for a $3.3 million salary, but if he demands more, teams might not be able to match that.
