Los Angeles Clippers sign Ben Simmons after buyout with Nets

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to sign former Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons after his buyout with the organization became official Saturday. This marks the first time Simmons will be headed to the West Coast after spending all his career on the East Coast with the Philadelphia Sixers and Nets. Simmons was traded to the Nets in 2022 in a blockbuster deal that involved a swap for James Harden.

Injuries derailed his three seasons with the Nets, primarily two back surgeries that limited him to just 90 games across three seasons. During that time, Simmons averaged just 6.5 points, 6.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds per game, and a steal per game on 56% from the field per StatsMuse. It was a far cry from his All-Star days with the Sixers when he was also an All-NBA defender.

Simmons and the Nets will officially clear waivers on Monday at 5 PM ET. Although Simmons might be diminished offensively from his heydays with the Sixers, standing at 6’10 "and still mobile gives the Clippers another playmaker who can initiate the break and take some pressure off Harden in playmaking duties. Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue can implement Simmons and utilize his strengths in their system. 

The Clippers have been one of the surprise teams in the league this season. After losing All-Star Paul George to the Sixers, they sit five games over .500 at 28-23, one game back from the Minnesota Timberwolves for the sixth seed to lock in playoff position. The Clippers rank 29th in AST/TO ratio, 25th in assists per game, and 23rd in offensive efficiency.

Adding Simmons, one of five active players (LeBron, Jokic, Westbrook, Doncic) to average 7+ RPG and 7+ APG for their careers, should help improve them in those categories. Simmons was set to earn $40.3 million this season, but with his buyout, he was limited in where he could go. Due to a quirk in the CBA, teams over the first apron are not permitted to sign a player who is waived and had a pre-existing salary of $12.8 million.

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Despite being an unrestricted free agent, Simmons' signing was not without its limitations. He couldn’t sign with teams such as the defending champion Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Knicks, or Phoenix Suns. The Clippers were one of the teams under the first apron at $9.2 million and the tax at $1.2 million, making their successful bid for Simmons. He ends up on the same team as the man he was traded for in Harden.

The Nets can now focus entirely on rebuilding for the future as they look to secure a high pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.