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Ramona Shelburne of ESPN and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic report that Ben Simmons has changed agents, leaving Rich Paul and Klutch Sports for Bernie Lee and Thread Sports Management.
Shelburne in reporting his departure from Paul’s client list said the decision was mutual and that Simmons is just seeking a “fresh start” ...
Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons and Klutch Sports have mutually decided to part ways, sources told ESPN. Simmons had been represented by Klutch since he came into the NBA as the No. 1 pick in 2016. The agency negotiated his five-year $177 million extension in 2019.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) March 17, 2023
Paul, of course, had also been Simmons point man in his season-long holdout from the 76ers that ultimately led to his being traded from Philly to Brooklyn...
Simmons and Klutch decided to part ways in a conversation this week. “He just needed a fresh start,” according to a source.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) March 17, 2023
Not long after, Krawczynski reported that Lee would be representing Simmons. Lee has a reputation for working with players “in difficult spots,” including Jimmy Butler...
Ben Simmons is expected to hire veteran agent Bernie Lee, who has a long history of guiding clients through difficult spots, sources said. Lee also reps Jimmy Butler, Justin Holiday and Kris Dunn, among other players.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) March 17, 2023
He has also repped Mike James who had a short stint with the Nets at the end of last season before returning to Europe. Just this week, Lee helped get Dunn, a one-time lottery pick beset by injuries, a multi-year deal with the Jazz after having played only 19 games in the NBA since the end of the 2019-20 season.
Krawczynski’s colleague covering the 76ers also added this irony into the mix...
Not only does Bernie Lee work as Jimmy Butler's agent, he advised the agent-less Joel Embiid during his supermax negotiations in the summer of 2021. https://t.co/y0kN2VKgN0
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) March 17, 2023
While there will no doubt be endless speculation about why Simmons moved on and what he wants Lee to do for him, nothing is likely to happen on the Simmons front until the Nets decide what to do with him for the rest of the season. Simmons has missed 12 straight games and there’s no timetable for his return. The Nets have said there have been no conversations about shutting him down for the season. The regular season ends on April 9.
Simmons still has two more years on his current contract after this season at a total of $78.2 million.
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