It's official! Preparing to return to the NBA! The No.1 pick directly names the Heat.

Simmons declared his intention to come back to the NBA, naming his old squad the 76ers and the Heat (featuring Giannis) as possible next stops.

Born on July 20, 1996, the 2016 No.1 overall pick has played for Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and the LA Clippers during his NBA career. He has won Rookie of the Year, been selected to one All-NBA Team and two All-Defensive Teams, led the league in steals once, and made three All-Star appearances. His stats are as follows:

In regular season, he averaged 31.1 minutes per game, contributing 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.5 steals, with a 55.8% field goal percentage.

In the playoffs, he averaged 31.6 minutes per game, recording 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.2 steals, with a 56.7% field goal percentage.

For the 2025-26 season, Simmons actually received an NBA contract offer but turned it down, choosing instead to take his talents to the fishing world. In May, his fishing team, the South Florida Marlin, won the Bahamas Blue Marlin Open tournament.

Maybe he’s tired of fishing, or maybe he wants to make more money. As mentioned, Simmons is preparing to return to the NBA next season. His career earnings so far total $203 million, though it’s unclear if any team has shown interest in him yet.

To be fair, considering Simmons is now 29 years old—the prime years for a basketball player—and despite losing his offensive skills, his playmaking and defense remain solid. He might indeed sign a veteran minimum contract and return to the NBA next season. The question is whether he can join a playoff or championship-caliber team like the Heat.

As everyone knows, the Heat need shooters, not someone who “refuses to shoot.”

Famed pundit A- Smith immediately went off on him, saying: Simmons is an all-time basketball **. He only talks about coming back when he’s broke. Where were the mental health issues when he was collecting paychecks? And he wants to go to the Heat? Riley won’t keep dead weight...

“A rat in the street—everyone wants to beat him.”

Simmons’ terrible reputation may never be turned around in his lifetime.