Shortly after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Brooklyn Nets, three-time All-Star forward Ben Simmons has signed a free agent with the Los Angeles Clippers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Ben Simmons joins the Clippers
The Clippers, who have enjoyed a surprisingly strong season behind James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, now add a former All-Star who can give them great depth off the bench. Los Angeles is currently 28-23 and seventh in the Western Conference, though they have lost three straight games, so being aggressive in the buyout market was necessary.
Simmons has endured yet another injury-riddled campaign this season, which has been the case since he left the Philadelphia 76ers back in 2022. Over the past three seasons, he has appeared in just 90 games as he deals with nagging back trouble among other injuries.
Simmons could provide a spark for the Clippers
This season, he has appeared in 33 games with the Nets and is averaging 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. Despite the massive drop-off in production, he still provides great playmaking and defense that can give a boost to the Clippers.
During his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, which spanned four seasons, he made the All-Star team three times, an All-Defense team twice, and an All-NBA team once. He finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of The Year Award in 2021, which was won by Rudy Gobert when he was still with the Utah Jazz.
While it is unlikely that he will return to that form with the Clippers, he can still have a positive impact with them given his versatility as a player.