Sources: Nets, Ben Simmons hold 'zero interest' in buyout amid trade rumors

12/24/2024 03:55 PM

Ahead of the trade deadline on Feb. 6, executive Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets will be busy. After recently trading veteran guard Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors, the Nets continue to be the focus of trade rumors with key talents like Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Day’Ron Sharpe. The other key name on the Nets’ trade block is former first-overall pick Ben Simmons.

Since a part of the James Harden trade between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn in 2022, Simmons has not lived up to the All-Star potential he once had. Over the last three years, including 23 games during the 2024-25 season, Simmons has averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in 80 career games with the Nets. Along with being in the final year of his contract and making $40.3 million this season, this is why Simmons finds himself on the trade block.

Between all his injury concerns through the years and struggles to remain a threat, there has been virtually zero interest around the NBA in Simmons dating back to the trade deadline during the 2023-24 season. Many teams around the league also can’t acquire the 28-year-old’s massive contract.

As the trade deadline inches closer, the Nets and Simmons hold “zero interest” in pursuing a buyout agreement, multiple league sources told ClutchPoints. This same mindset Brooklyn currently holds also applies to the scenario of Simmons remaining on their roster past Feb. 6, which continues to look like a strong possibility.

The Nets have positioned themselves to shed heavy salary at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, highlighted by Simmons becoming an unrestricted free agent. Next summer, Brooklyn will be positioned to have the most cap space in the league, opening up many doors to revamp their roster during this rebuild.

Since he is in the final year of his contract and now seeing a larger role with Schroder gone, many league personnel believe that Simmons and his representation would not want to sacrifice a portion of his salary in a potential buyout agreement. After all, once he becomes a free agent next summer, Simmons won’t see another nine-figure contract.

In four games since Schroder was traded, Simmons has averaged 10.3 points, 8.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals as the team’s starting point guard. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez has challenged Simmons and been critical of him throughout the early portion of the season, but he has also supported the former three-time All-Star on countless occasions. Simmons has accepted these challenges, and has embraced his increased role since Schroder’s departure.

“I think it's that [the role change] and just time in the gym," Simmons said recently regarding his mentality shift. of his sudden shift. "Just staying on it. And then focusing every day. I come in and try to get better every day, and it's gonna show… It's been an adjustment [without Dennis], but obviously, practice sessions help a lot. And then watching film helps a bunch. So the more we play together and the more we get some rhythm, the easier it will be.”

The Nets remain open to discussing Simmons in trade conversations at this time, sources said. Any team looking to instantly free up a massive chunk of cap space next offseason would hold a level of interest in Simmons. On the other hand, Brooklyn has made it clear to rival teams that they don’t want to take back significant, long-term salaries in any deal they could potentially make. When trading Schroder to Golden State, the Nets received De’Anthony Melton, who will be a free agent after this season, and three second-round picks.

If there was a trade to be had involving Simmons before the trade deadline, a few teams would likely be involved for salary purposes. However, it is much more likely that trades involving Johnson, Finney-Smith, or Sharpe occur. In fact, Brooklyn has been receiving interest from multiple teams inquiring about Sharpe, league sources told ClutchPoints’ Nets reporter Erik Slater.

Johnson perhaps holds the greatest trade market out of all the players in Brooklyn, as several playoff-contending teams have expressed interest in trading for the 28-year-old wing. The Nets are not urgently looking to move Johnson like they were with Schroder, leading to the widespread belief that Marks and his front office will continue to increase their asking price for Johnson before the trade deadline. He still has two more years left on his contract past the 2024-25 season.

With their rebuild in full force, the Nets will continue to allocate more minutes to the youth that exists on their roster. In terms of Simmons, it remains unlikely that either he or the organization will seek to split before the offseason.

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