You could see it coming even before the season wrapped – Ben Simmons’ time with the Clippers was always going to be short-lived. Signed in February 2025 after the Nets cut ties, his arrival in Los Angeles felt less like a fresh chapter and more like a stopgap measure. He logged 51 games and earned 24 starts, showing glimpses of his court vision but never truly shifting the needle. Five points, five boards, five assists a night, numbers that spoke more to utility than revival.

After all, this is the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft that we are talking about. Once seen as an elite defender who needed to work on his offensive game, Simmons has been reduced to an unwilling passenger in recent years. By the time the playoffs ended, the conversations around Simmons had already shifted from what he could bring to where he might go next. He walked away from the chance to re-sign in Los Angeles, declined a one-year minimum offer from the Knicks, and shortly afterwards, his agent Bernie Lee severed ties with him. It left the 29-year-old at a crossroads few imagined he’d face so soon.

Now, amid swirling rumors of retirement, the conversation has shifted to speculation about what comes next. Some wonder if Simmons will step away from the NBA altogether, others suggest a possible return to Australia. We might just know the answer now.

It was Simmons himself who sparked the speculation, posting a carousel of photos on Instagram with the Australian beach as his backdrop. His caption, “The land down under #australia,” paired with a casual shirtless shot and cheeky smile, immediately fueled talk that he was hinting at more than a holiday. One slide showed him holding a fishing rod, another had him stretched out on the sand, and the last framed his silhouette against a dewy, purple-tinged sunset. Together, they painted a picture of a player at ease.

For fans who’ve followed his winding NBA journey, the post read like a soft announcement , a suggestion that his next stop could be home. And he is welcome here too. Simmons is known to be considering his NBA future after previous reports linked him to the New York Knicks. However, while reports had initially claimed New York had even offered a contract, it was then alleged that he was never offered a formal contract, with New York eventually filling their final roster spot with Michael Brogdon.

Even before Simmons’ Instagram post set tongues wagging, whispers of retirement had already stirred excitement back home. Australian basketball veterans didn’t see the end of his NBA chapter as a fall, but as a chance for revival in the NBL. The idea of the country’s most high-profile export suiting up locally again had longtime voices in the game ready to welcome him with open arms.

Former NBL guard Damon Lowery was among the first to put it into words: “Man, I’d love to see Ben. I’d love to see him play basketball anywhere, but if he can come right here and come back home to play, he would dominate. Six-ten point guard, can guard absolutely everybody. It would be too easy for Ben if he was back here playing NBL.” That kind of endorsement reflected both nostalgia for what Simmons once was and optimism for what he could still be in a league more suited to his current condition.

Whether Simmons will actually suit up in the NBL remains uncertain, for now, there’s no contract, no announcement, just speculation. What is clear, though, is that he has returned to his roots, reconnecting with the country that first shaped his game.

Ben Simmons and the burden of wasted potential

Ben Simmons’ trajectory is one of the most dramatic falls in recent NBA history. A former No. 1 overall pick, Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star, and All-NBA defender, Simmons once looked destined to anchor a franchise for a decade. At his peak in 2020, he averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.8 rebounds, while spearheading the Philadelphia 76ers’ defense with elite versatility. But what followed was a collapse both physical and psychological. His infamous refusal to attempt a late dunk in the 2021 playoffs became a symbol of his growing mental readiness issues and anxiety under intense criticism, especially regarding shooting and free throws.

The numbers tell the story as clearly as the headlines. Simmons went from averaging 34 minutes per game in his All-Star years to barely 24 with the Clippers this season. Once a nightly near-triple-double threat, he has seen his output fall to just 5.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, utility stats from a player who once embodied star power.

On top of that, Ben Simmons’ career has been significantly affected by chronic lower-back problems. He has repeatedly missed large chunks of seasons and even finished seasons early due to a persistent nerve impingement in his back. For example, in May 2022 the Nets announced Simmons would undergo a microdiscectomy to alleviate pain from a herniated disc in his back, and in March 2024 they shut down his season after he had surgery for another pinched nerveThese recurring injuries limited Simmons to just 42 games in 2022–23 (with the Nets ultimately ending his season in late March) and only 15 games in 2023–24. In short, Simmons’ back problems have led to frequent absences and ended multiple seasons prematurely.

Once an All-NBA star, Simmons is now back in Australia, stepping away from the game and weighing retirement. His fall from grace shows how quickly greatness can fade when injuries and mental struggles take over.