The New York Knicks are reportedly still showing "strong" interest in a former first overall pick during free agency.
Knicks Continue to Show 'Strong' Interest in Former No. 1 Overall Pick During Free Agency: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Knicks are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
Despite their success last season, it was not enough for head coach Tom Thibodeau to keep his job as the Knicks surprisingly fired him following their playoff exit.
After about of month of interviews with multiple candidates, the Knicks finally hired former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown as Thibodeau’s replacement.
During free agency the Knicks focused on upgrading their depth as they signed both Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele and more moves may be coming as they still have one open roster spot remaining.
There have been many different players linked to the Knicks as a potential candidate to fill their final roster spot, including former first overall pick Ben Simmons.
On Thursday, Knicks insider Ian Begley reported that the Knicks continue to show strong interest in Simmons this offseason.
“Ben Simmons is certainly a candidate for the Knicks’ final roster spot. As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his decision,” Begley wrote.
The New York Knicks continue to show ‘strong’ interest in Ben Simmons, per @IanBegley
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 31, 2025
“Ben Simmons is certainly a candidate for the Knicks’ final roster spot. As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his… pic.twitter.com/2XAHdQXLwn
Of course, Simmons has been linked to many different teams but the Knicks have continued to be the main team mentioned as a potential free agency destination for him.
The 29-year-old is no longer the All-Star caliber player that he was earlier in his career with the Philadelphia 76ers but he proved last season with the Los Angeles Clippers that he can still play a key role on a championship contending team.
For Simmons, he is a great playmaker and defender who can play point guard and both forward positions, which would be a solid addition to New York’s bench.
Despite this, the former top pick has dealt with a ton of injuries over the past handful of seasons which could be a concern for the Knicks, though he would be able to help out in multiple areas off the bench next season if they sign him.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
