In the wake of reporting suggesting that Ben Simmons has “regained his athleticism” after dealing with back issues for years and is looking to make an NBA comeback, Jake Fischer said during a Bleacher Report live stream (video link) that there are “definitely” teams around the league with interest in the former No. 1 overall pick.

Fischer added that he fully expects Simmons to be with a team in training camp this fall. However, he believes the three-time All-Star may need to accept a non-guaranteed camp deal in order to make that happen.

“No one’s looking to give Ben Simmons a guaranteed roster spot right now. That’s just the reality,” Fischer said. “(Teams) would need to actually to see this ‘regained athleticism’ and see what he actually looks like in a five-on-five setting, day after day after day, really competing at the highest level. Because we just haven’t seen that from him for years now.”

Here are more notes and rumors on free agents from around the basketball world:

• Within a look at where things stand for restricted free agent forward Peyton Watson, Sam Amick of The Athletic cites a league source who says the Nuggets‘ latest offer to Watson is worth $70MM over four years, with a team option on the final season.
• Shortly after word broke this morning that the Lakers were being sold for a record-setting valuation of $12.5 billion, veteran agent Jeff Schwartz offered his response to the news via his agency, Excel Basketball. “Incredible, the Lakers sell for $12 billion, yet teams won’t spend on older vets because of current CBA rules,” Schwartz said. “Thank you, Union.” Kevin Love, Kelly Olynyk, and Russell Westbrook – who announced his retirement this afternoon – are among Schwartz’s veteran clients without deals in place for the 2026/27 season.
• Former NBA lottery pick Frank Ntilikina has signed with Paris Basketball, the team announced today (Twitter link). The eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft, Ntilikina has been out of the NBA since he was waived by Charlotte in February 2024. The French guard spent the 2024/25 season with Partizan and ’25/26 with Olympiacos.
• Journeyman center Moses Brown, who appeared in 163 regular season games for seven NBA teams from 2019-25, has signed with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association for the upcoming season (Instagram link; hat tip to Sportando). The 7’2″ center played in the G League last season before signing with the Criollos de Caguas in Puerto Rico in March. In June, Brown was named the Baloncesto Superior Nacional’s Defensive Player of the Year.