It's been quite the week for Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
On Sept. 8, league insider Marc Stein reported that Simmons had rejected a one-year contract with the New York Knicks because he expected to be paid above the veteran minimum; the Knicks could not offer him such a deal due to roster constraints. Stein reported four days prior that Bernie Lee had "formally removed himself from the union's ledger as Simmons' agent."
Yet another report by the New York Post's Stefan Bondy suggests that both pieces of news were related to one another.
Simmons' rejection of Knicks contract at root of agent's dropping
Sources told Bondy that the Knicks intended to sign Simmons because of the production he could provide them, given the likely cost-effective value of his contract.
"Despite the glut of issues surrounding Simmons — back surgeries and an accumulation of fines for declining to play for the 76ers — the Knicks were interested because of his upside as an elite defender and an athlete to fill their backup point guard spot, a league source said," Bondy wrote.
Simmons, however, did not appear to be on board with joining the New York-based franchise. That was allegedly the final straw for Lee.
"A source said that the decision occurred after the point guard sent signals that he wasn't interested in whatever came from his agent's conversations with the Knicks," Bondy wrote.
Reports that Simmons is considering retiring altogether also likely played a role in Lee's decision, but one thing is for certain: that Simmons is making it more difficult to find a new team before the regular season begins on Oct. 21.