The New York Knicks are reportedly among four teams showing interest in a former first overall pick during free agency.
Knicks Among Four Teams Interested in Former No. 1 Pick in Free Agency: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Knicks have had a busy offseason thus far as they have made multiple additions to their roster and also hired a new head coach.
New York is coming off a season in which they made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, though it was not enough for head coach Tom Thibodeau to keep his job.
After firing Thibodeau, the Knicks hired former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown after about a month of interviews with multiple candidates.
During free agency, the Knicks have already signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele to upgrade their bench and they still have one more roster spot open that they are expected to fill with a player on a veteran’s minimum contract.
One player the Knicks have reportedly shown interest in is former first overall pick Ben Simmons during free agency according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“League sources say that the Suns have also had some recent dialogue with former All-Star Ben Simmons, who I'm told has drawn interest since free agency began from Boston, New York and Sacramento,” Stein wrote.
Boston, Phoenix, New York, and Sacramento have shown interest in Ben Simmons, per @TheSteinLine
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 21, 2025
“League sources say that the Suns have also had some recent dialogue with former All-Star Ben Simmons, who I'm told has drawn interest since free agency began from Boston, New York… pic.twitter.com/UgNz0LYyKJ
Simmons would be a solid addition to the Knicks’ bench and while he is no longer the All-Star level player that he was earlier in his career, he is still a solid piece for a contending team.
Last season, the 29-year-old averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 52.0% from the field.
Simmons is a versatile big man who can play both forward positions and even the point guard spot due to his incredible playmaking skills, something the Knicks could use in their second unit.
Of course, Simmons has dealt with a ton of injuries over his eight seasons in the NBA, including playing in only 51 total games last year with both the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Despite this, Simmons would be a solid piece off the bench for the Knicks as they look to chase a championship next season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
