Now, if reports are to be believed, the Celtics have checked in on Ben Simmons, who became an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer after leaving the Los Angeles Clippers. Simmons was once seen as a future MVP candidate due to his elite playmaking, rim finishing and defensive versatility. However, lower back issues have derailed his career.

Ben Simmons, an unrestricted free agent, is “probably” going to sign with a new team by next week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Threads (hat tip to Brian Robb of MassLive ). Windhorst mentioned the Kings, Suns, Knicks and Celtics as teams that have been linked to Simmons, confirming previous reporting from Jake Fischer and Marc Stein.