Ben Simmons has received a training camp invite from a Western Conference team, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The 30-year-old sat out the entire 2025-26 season to heal back problems that have plagued him for years. This is not a minimum contract yet. This is a foot in the door, and Simmons is treating it that way.
What The Ben Simmons Offer Actually Says
Spears reported the unnamed team’s invite is non-guaranteed, strictly a camp look rather than a roster lock. Simmons, for his part, has made clear he’s open to signing a straightforward veteran-minimum contract, a deliberate move to ease the financial risk for any front office willing to take a chance on him.
Simmons is paying his own way to attend an Australia national team minicamp in Melbourne this week, using it as a public audition. It’s the clearest signal yet that he believes he’s healthy enough to prove it on his own dime. For more on that workout push, Sportscasting’s coverage of the Melbourne minicamp lays out the fuller comeback timeline.
Why NBA Teams Are Circling Ben Simmons Now
Simmons hasn’t played a full season in years, but a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive résumé doesn’t just evaporate. He had season-ending back surgery in March 2024 to address a nerve impingement, and last played 18 regular-season games plus five playoff games for the Clippers in 2024-25 after being waived by Brooklyn, averaging 5.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds on a career-low 52.0% shooting.
His godfather, Arizona State assistant coach David Patrick, who also coaches Australia’s national team, said a trainer who recently worked Simmons out believes he has regained his athleticism. Teams needing size, playmaking, or point-of-attack defense see a low-risk swing here, especially on a camp invite with no financial exposure attached. That’s the exact math Russell Westbrook worked through with the Kings, and Sportscasting’s breakdown of that veteran-minimum path shows how a name player can rebuild value on a small deal.
What The Ben Simmons Camp Invite Actually Means
This is not a signal that Simmons is close to a guaranteed deal. It’s a signal that at least one front office is willing to take a free look before summer league buzz cools off. The gap between a non-guaranteed camp invite and an actual roster spot tells you exactly how much convincing is still required.
Buyout-season logic applies here too, the same way roster crunches created opportunity in moves like the Klay Thompson trade fallout across the Lakers and Heat. Contenders chase size and defense late in the calendar, and Simmons fits that profile if his back holds up.
There’s also a bigger picture driving his push. Simmons has genuine ambitions of representing Australia at the 2028 LA Olympics, and a strong showing at this minicamp helps that cause regardless of how the NBA side of things plays out.
What Happens Next For Ben Simmons
Simmons’ performance at the Melbourne minicamp, which began this week, will shape how many teams follow the Western Conference squad’s lead. If he moves well and stays available through the week, expect the training camp market to widen fast. If not, this non-guaranteed invite may end up being the only real offer on the table.
