NBA Insider Reveals That The 76ers Had Interest In A Ben Simmons Reunion After Nets Buyout

Early in his career, Ben Simmons was a star for the Philadelphia 76ers... until he wasn't. After a great start to his career, the former No. 1 pick fell apart, both physically and mentally, and it caused the Philadelphia faithful to turn on him.

Then, he was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets, and after struggling to stay healthy and productive on the court, he was bought out by the team last season. While Simmons would end up with the Los Angeles Clippers, he reportedly drew interest from several teams, including his former club.

According to Jake Fischer, Simmons and Joel Embiid repaired their relationship, and there were overtures made to the team bringing back their former star guard in what would have been one of the more shocking moves in recent times in the NBA. 

Obviously, it never ended up happening, as Simmons went West to join the Clippers, but it appears the Sixers genuinely considered bringing him back, even after what transpired behind the scenes at the end of their first run together.

It's unclear at this point just how close things got between the two teams to a reunion, but with Simmons potentially looking for more than the minimum this summer, there's always a chance this could still happen. For now though, it doesn't look like things will be heading in this direction anytime soon, and with Simmons weighing up retirement given his injury history, there's a chance we may never see him on the court in the NBA again.