Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons got a fresh start with the NBA team last year. Now he is becoming one with his representation.
The former All-Star and his agents from the Clutch Sports Group have mutually decided to part ways ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, two sides Allegedly The decision was reached after talks earlier this week.
Clutch has counted Simmons as a prospect since he entered the NBA draft in 2016, eventually being taken first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers after an All-American season at LSU. The agency helped negotiate a five-year, $177 million contract extension that was signed in 2019.
That tenure also saw Simmons land endorsement deals with Nike, Beats by Dre, Foot Locker, Upper Deck and others.
Where does Ben Simmons go from here?
Simmons' career has clearly taken a turn since that 2019 payday. Clutch represented him during his ugly divorce from the Sixers, held out for the season after demanding a trade, and ultimately landed with the Nets. The problems off the court have now shifted to the court, as Simmons looks like a different player with the Nets, and not in a good way.
The 26-year-old is currently averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 26.3 minutes per game, all career lows. Even when adjusting for time or number of possessions, he is still scoring at the lowest rate of his career.
He also hasn't played since February 15, having sat out last month with what the Nets were calling left knee soreness.
In the midst of rebuilding after the Nets traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Simmons has been signed for two more years after this season at a salary of $37.9 million in 2023–24 and $40.3 million in 2024–25.
Despite Simmons being tied up with the Nets, his career future is as bleak as ever. At his best, Simmons was a defensive player of the year candidate and a capable distributor for the Sixers, but he looks like a different player in a Brooklyn uniform. Given the line of mutual separation as fact, it's easy to see why the Clutch agreed to let him go, and the many consequences his next agent could face after his contract expires.
