Super agent Rich Paul’s BLUNT take on Ben

• From maximum deal to minimum: Ben Simmons free agency waiting game
• Player Profile: Read more about Ben Simmons career here
• Ben Simmons had 'all the talent in the world'
• Ben Simmons 'fishing' for NBA return - literally

Australian point-forward Ben Simmons has swapped jump hooks for fishing hooks as an unsigned free agent this season and super agent Rich Paul has just dropped a bombshell on his formerly former client.

Simmons, 29, has reportedly resigned with Klutch Sports after a public break up with agent Bernie Lee after knocking back offers including the New York Knicks. He is now a team owner in the Sport Fishing Championship, the operator of South Florida Sails.

Paul, who represents LeBron James, and Kellerman were talking about one of Paul's other clients Cam Reddish who played six seasons in the NBA before signing in Lithuania. Kellerman switched the conversation to Simmons, who was drafted first overall in 2016 by the Philadelphia 76ers.

"You also represented Ben Simmons, who for a minute looked like the – at one point I thought, and I think I said on First Take back then, he was the best show in sports," Kellerman said.

"He’s 6-foot-10 with a handle and a great passer. He couldn’t shoot at all, but that looked like the only thing missing. And all of a sudden, it’s like he fell off a cliff."

Paul responded: "Those are two different scenarios. Because the difference is, everything that Ben wanted to happen for Ben happened.

"He was the No. 1 pick in the draft – check. Rookie of the Year – check. Perennial All-Star – check. All-NBA – check. He got the max contract. He got the second contract. He got the max contract.

"You’ve got to think there are two ways to go about this. Either you love what the game brings you, or you love the game.

"Most kids don’t say, 'I want to get to the NBA and be great for 15 years'. They dream of making it to the NBA.

"You’re going up that mountain. Some guys get up there and say, 'Okay, I got here. Now I’m going back down'. Some guys get there and say, 'Now I want to go higher'.

"That’s the difference.

"Ben checked every box. He got full. He ate everything. No.1 pick, Rookie of the Year, All-Star, max contract, Nike deal. It depends what your mountain is. Some guys, the mountain is a championship.

"I remember reading an interview with Derek Jeter. He’d won five World Series, a World Series MVP, batting titles. They asked him what he wanted that he didn’t have. I thought he’d say MVP. He said he wanted a sixth ring. His mountain was championships.

"That doesn’t make Ben Simmons wrong. We say in sports, 'Ben needs to be like this person'. No – Ben needs to be Ben Simmons."

Between 2017 and 2021 Ben Simmons was a 3-time NBA All-Star (2019–2021); All-NBA Third Team (2020); 2-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2020, 2021); NBA Rookie of the Year (2018); NBA All-Rookie First Team (2018); and NBA steals leader (2020). It came off the back of being a consensus first-team All-American (2016) playing at LSU; USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2016); First-team All-SEC (2016); SEC Freshman of the Year (2016); National high school player of the year (2015); McDonald's All-American (2015); and First-team Parade All-American (2015).

"I mean, he had all the talent in the world,’’ First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer and NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki said before the start of the 2025-26 season.

“Not quite sure all the stuff that happened there in Philly but it was disappointing.

“He was like the rising star there for a long, long time. So we’ll see what happens.

"It’s still early. Sometimes things get picked up later. You just got to stay ready, stay working out.

“There’s still a bunch of free agents out there that I thought had a chance to be in the league.

"But there’s just unfortunately only so many spots in our league … hopefully Ben can find a way back in.’’

Kellerman pressed Paul, who negotiated Simmons' monster five-year USD $177.2M contract extension with the 76ers, on what's next for the Australian.

"If it were up to me, I’d want him to have a 20-year career," Paul said.

"But you can’t ignore what happened. From a team perspective, if you’re deciding who to draft or acquire, you don’t want Ben Simmons because it’s a dead end.

Kellerman countered: "But you’re saying that now, not on draft day."

But Paul said hindsight was always near perfect.

"I have more information now," he added.

"His career at a certain point died. I think it died because his mountain wasn’t the mountain you want your best player to have.

"Damian Lillard has that championship mentality even without a ring. You want a dude like that.

"I remember talking to Ben. I said, 'You’ve got so much left in the tank. If you just become a pick-and-roll five late in games, your playmaking makes you a different rolling big'. You could guard all five positions. If you just become that guy, you’re playing 30 minutes.

"So the book might still be open."

Simmons told Bleacher Report on December 23, 2025: “I don’t believe it’s just [about] getting on a team.

“So, if I were to play right now, I think I’d fit right into the NBA just given what I can do. But I want to give everything I can to the game. I don’t think there’s any point in just wasting a spot just to be out there. I think that’s a little selfish. And there are guys that do it now. But that’s what it is, the business.

“For me, I’m very blessed to not have to be in that situation where I need to fight right now. But I want to get to the best of my ability and physical peak to compete.

"Otherwise, it doesn’t really serve me any purpose.”