The New York Knicks have spent the final stretch of the offseason trying to balance two things at once: adding enough depth to survive an 82-game season and preserving enough flexibility to make a larger move later.
Their reported pursuit of Ben Simmons fit neatly into that equation.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Friday that New York was among the teams in the mix for Simmons before the three-time All-Star agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings. Golden State also had interest.
For the Knicks, the Simmons pursuit was not entirely new.
New York had already been linked to him earlier in the offseason as the front office canvassed the market for low-cost veterans with upside. That interest resurfacing now helps explain how broadly the Knicks have been thinking about the final pieces of the roster.
Simmons, 30, did not play last season while recovering from longstanding back issues. He last appeared in an NBA game in April 2025.
The risk was obvious.
So was the appeal.
Ben Simmons Would Have Given Knicks a Different Kind of Depth
At his best, Simmons was one of the league’s most unusual players — a 6-foot-10 primary ballhandler who could rebound, defend across positions and create transition offense without needing to score much.
He made three All-Star teams in Philadelphia and earned two All-Defensive selections before injuries and prolonged absences derailed his trajectory.
For New York, the appeal would have been versatility.
Simmons could have functioned as a jumbo secondary creator behind Jalen Brunson, defended larger wings and forwards and absorbed some small-ball frontcourt minutes in lineups built around Karl-Anthony Towns.
His lack of shooting would have complicated spacing. But at $3.5 million, the Knicks would not have been paying for a perfect fit.
They would have been taking a low-cost swing on a player who once offered elite size, defense and playmaking.
Knicks Still Have Bigger Need at Center
Simmons, though, would not have solved the Knicks’ most obvious roster issue.
Center remains the priority.
New York has 13 players on standard contracts, leaving two open roster spots, and all three two-way slots are still available. The Knicks could choose to begin the season with only 14 standard players in order to preserve flexibility around the trade deadline.
If they take that path, the next signing becomes even more important.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that Drew Eubanks and John Konchar are among the free agents on New York’s radar.
Of the two, Eubanks addresses the cleaner need.
Towns and Andre Drummond are the Knicks’ only established centers after Mitchell Robinson left for Boston and Ariel Hukporti departed for Philadelphia. Eubanks would give Mike Brown another traditional big capable of absorbing regular-season minutes and protecting the rotation from injury or foul trouble.
Konchar offers wing depth and connective play, but New York is already deeper on the perimeter.
That makes the Simmons pursuit easier to understand in hindsight.
He was an upside play.
Eubanks would be a needs play.
Simmons Chooses Sacramento
Simmons ultimately chose Sacramento, where the Kings can offer a lower-pressure path back into the league behind rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
For the Knicks, missing out does not fundamentally change the roster plan.
They still have open spots. They still have all three two-way slots. And they still have a frontcourt depth issue that has not gone away.
What Amick’s report does reveal is that New York is not limiting itself to one archetype.
The Knicks are willing to consider a former All-Star with an unusual skill set if the price is low enough. They are also monitoring more conventional options who better fit the roster’s immediate needs.
Simmons represented the more intriguing gamble.
The next move may have to be the more practical one.
Knicks Were in Mix for 3-Time All-Star Before Surprise Free Agency Decision