Brooklyn Nets: Ben Simmons Buyout Talk and De’Aaron Fox Trade Buzz

The two former all-stars’ futures are the topic of discussion as the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches.
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) bring the ball up the court against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) bring the ball up the court against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

ESPN's Brian Windhorst mentioned Ben Simmons as a potential candidate to receive a contract buyout as the NBA’s end-of-season market shapes up with the Feb. 6 trade deadline looming. 

Windhorst dropped Simmons’ name when asked who the Cleveland Cavaliers could pursue in the buyout market. The Cavs are currently top of the Eastern Conference rankings at 37-9.

“What you’d be looking for is a perimeter guard who has size and can defend,” Windhorst said to ESPN Cleveland. “Two guys who could be bought out that fit that bill are Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons.”

Simmons is in the final year of his current contract with the Brooklyn Nets, and he is making $40.3 million this season. The 28-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Australian playmaker’s last two seasons ended because of consecutive back surgeries. This season so far, Simmons has played in 30 of the Nets’ 47 games (starting 24). He is averaging 6.3 points — the second-lowest mark of his career — alongside 5.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. His complete averages for his three seasons in the borough are 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists, compared to 15.9, 8.1 and 7.7, respectively, in his four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him No. 1 in 2016.

Going forward, Simmons remains a non-shooter as far as NBA teams are concerned. He hasn’t attempted any threes this season, although he has taken a handful of midrange shots — without possessing any gravity. More notably, Simmons has barely gotten to the free-throw line. He has taken only 23 free throws in his 30 games, making 16 of those foul shots. The 6-foot-10 ballhandler can look averse to contact in some games.

Simmons’ value comes as a passer and defender. He is still one of the NBA’s best facilitators in transition, and he excels at generating good looks for teammates who otherwise won’t do so self-creating. The three-time all-star is not the force he was once was on defense, but he remains a switchable piece on that end of the floor who can create events, be disruptive across different primary ballhandlers and has recently embraced playing the center position a bit more. That applies on offense as well, with Simmons almost used as a screener, in the high post or in the dunker spot in the half-court this season.

Last fall, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons mentioned the Nets guard as “one of the most fascinating February buyout guys.” He pictured Simmons becoming a center or a Draymond Green-esque two-way playmaker.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn were also linked to Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox by SNY’s NBA insider Ian Begley. ESPN’s Shams Charania initially reported that the Kings were “expected to open up talks to potentially deal [...] Fox ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.” Charania added that it was “believed that Fox [had] a target destination in mind ahead of 2026 free agency.” This was echoed by senior NBA insider Chris Haynes, who posted that Fox was “zeroed in on [a] landing spot.”

Around the same time, Begley posted: “The Nets, per sources, are among the teams that view De’Aaron Fox as a trade target and have been monitoring the Fox situation in SAC. [...] Fox has preferred destination. [...] Nets, obviously, have significant trade assets to use to acquire a player of Fox’s caliber.” 

Frank Isola, from Nets coverage the YES Network and ESPN, said that Brooklyn were "in play" and, per a source, "one of the options." Fox, who is represented by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul, is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. 

Begley added that the “Nets definitely view [him] as a trade target, but it only makes sense for them if he is available in the offseason.” Begley also reported that “several opposing teams believed” that Fox would like to play for the San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs link was reported by credentialed Kings reporter James Ham as Fox’s “preferred landing spot,” as well. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that Fox's "associates" are "not yet revealing" his "preferred trade destination," but that San Antonio "have long been seen as the likely destination of [Fox's] choice." NBA correspondent Marc Stein said that the Spurs were “widely presumed to be a destination that would interest” the former Kentucky guard.

The Nets hosted the Kings on Jan. 27, with Sacramento picking up a 110-96 win. Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernández was previously an associate head coach for the Kings. Nets wing Cam Johnson has been connected to Sacramento in trade reports.


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Wilko Martinez Cachero
WILKO MARTINEZ CACHERO

Wilko is a journalist and producer from Madrid, Spain. He is also the founder of FLOOR and CEILING on YouTube, focusing on the NBA Draft and youth basketball.