Knicks Speculation Heats Up Around Former No 1 Pick

Newsweek

6 days ago

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The New York Knicks have had an interesting offseason thus far. While they haven't shaken up the roster much, they have made a couple of key additions.
Both Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele were signed in NBA free agency. They will both be asked to handle key roles off of the bench.
In addition to the two impactful outside roster moves, the Knicks made a change on the sideline. Tom Thibodeau was fired after New York was defeated by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. To replace him, the team brought in Mike Brown.
Head coach of Mike Brown of the New York Knicks speaks to media during his introductory press conference at Knicks Training Facility on July 08, 2025 in Tarrytown, New York.
Head coach of Mike Brown of the New York Knicks speaks to media during his introductory press conference at Knicks Training Facility on July 08, 2025 in Tarrytown, New York.
Photo byOver the years, Thibodeau has not utilized his bench much. He has received a lot of criticism for that, but the Knicks have never prioritized having a lot of depth. Brown will bring a different philosophy to the team.
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With that in mind, New York should remain active in looking for more depth.
One name to keep an eye on could be former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons. He is still available on the free agency market and the Knicks have been connected as a possible suitor.
CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn took a look at the top remaining free agents and their best fit. When it came to Simmons, he stated his belief that New York was the top potential landing spot.
"How about the Knicks? The key to maximizing Simmons will be surrounding him with shooting. The Knicks have a shooting big man in Karl-Anthony Towns. The reserves they added this offseason, Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, can both shoot. Perhaps New York could lean on Simmons as a creator when Jalen Brunson goes to the bench," Quinn wrote.
"He gives them yet another big wing to deploy defensively, and if they want to switch as much as they did in the later stages of the postseason, Simmons can do so. The pressure of Madison Square Garden is a potential issue, but we're talking about a 10-15-minute reserve here, not a star. It's a low-risk, high-reward gamble."
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Simmons has never been able to live up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He has had some injury issues in recent years, but his confidence took a major hit with the Philadelphia 76ers as well.
Last season, Simmons played in 51 games and made 24 starts between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged five points per game to go along with 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
While Simmons may not be a star, he could end up being a great pickup for the Knicks' second unit should they choose to pursue him.
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