Shortly after news broke that 2026 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons is thinking about retirement, Bernie Lee of Therad Sports Management “formally removed himself from the union’s ledger as Simmons’ agent,” per The Stein Line’s Marc Stein.
No. 1 Pick Ben Simmons Parts Ways With Agent Bernie Lee
Lee’s decision to notify the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) that he’s officially parting ways with Simmons could be the proverbial writing on the wall. At this point in time, the 29-year-old is known to be straddling the fence as he mulls retirement. However, it’s unclear which way he’s leaning. Splitting with his agent could indicate that he’s closer to hanging up his jersey than suiting up for another season.
Yet, the idea that Simmons is considering throwing his tied sneakers over the phone lines already doesn’t jive with what he said after signing with the Los Angeles Clippers in the spring. At the time, Simmons claimed to be fully healthy and ready to help them win a championship. With that being said, players often part ways with their agents when they’re dissatisfied with the service being provided. Simmons remaining unsigned after a solid showing last season is a good enough reason to believe he’d axe Lee for a similar reason.
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After all, not only did he post numbers similar to Golden State Warriors unconventional star Draymond Green, he played more than 50 games for the first time since his last All-Star years.
An Unsuccessful Free Agency
Given that the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings are still among his suitors, Simmons hasn’t been brushed aside by everyone. However, there should be more than two contenders that want him to put his name on the dotted line. There should be at least two willing to pay him more than the veteran’s minimum.
For comparison’s sake, Green will make $25.9 million in 2025-26. If Simmons is in the Green mold (and he is), then he shouldn’t be looking at a contract that’s one-tenth of that amount. Of course, with his injury history and unwillingness to shoot a 3, he isn’t a $26 million player right now either. Yet, he should be looking at contracts that are at least in the eight-figure realm.
For all the talk about cap space, several teams can offer that amount via the non-taxpayers mid-level exception (NTP-MLE) or a traded players exception (TPE):
- Boston Celtics ($22.5 million TPE, $8.2 million TPE)
- Utah Jazz ($18.4 million TPE)
- Miami Heat ($16.8 million TPE, $9.9 million NTP-MLE, $7.8 million TPE)
- Charlotte Hornets ($14.1 million NTP-MLE)
- Chicago Bulls ($14.1 million NTP-MLE)
- Golden State Warriors ($14.1 million NTP-MLE, $8.8 million TPE)
- Indiana Pacers ($14.1 million NTP-MLE)
- Washington Wizards ($14.1 million NTP-MLE, $13.5 million TPE, $9.9 million TPE)
- Detroit Pistons ($14.1 million TPE)
- New Orleans Pelicans ($13.5 million TPE, $13 million TPE)
- Atlanta Hawks ($13.1 million TPE)
- Sacramento Kings ($11.2 million NTP-MLE)
- Dallas Mavericks ($11 million TPE)
- Philadelphia 76ers ($10.1 million NTP-MLE, $8 million TPE)
- Cleveland Cavaliers ($8.5 million TPE)
- Denver Nuggets ($8.2 million NTP-MLE)
- Minnesota Timberwolves ($7.6 million TPE)
Keeping score, that means over half the league is capable of giving him a salary that matches his on-court play.
The Last Word On Ben Simmons
Simmons isn’t a great fit for all of those listed teams. However, the bigger issue is that he doesn’t get great PR, and many of those organizations believe they can lowball him. After all, a player’s free market value is undoubtedly influenced by their reputation. With that being said, Simmons is seen as lacking mental toughness and physical durability. Combine that with his flawed scoring game and he’s not as attractive a free agent as he otherwise could be.
Nevertheless, not to beat a dead horse, but his skillset and production really are remarkably similar to Green’s. The primary difference is that nobody thinks Green’s mind or back are brittle. If more people realized the mental strength a player has to have to repeatedly come back from injuries though, the consensus about the former might change.
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