Ben Simmons is finalizing a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets to become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst. Simmons will meet with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers starting Friday as he decides his next home.
Simmons, 28, has spent three seasons in Brooklyn since he was acquired in a deal that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. He has dealt with a variety of injuries in those years and has played more than 40 games just once with the Nets.
This season, Simmons is averaging 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 25 minutes per game. At 6-foot-10, Simmons remains a versatile defender and a strong passer for his size, but his limitations as a shooter have made it difficult for him to thrive in certain lineups.
Simmons is in the final year of a five-year, maximum contract he signed with the Sixers. He’s set to hit free agency this summer.