{
  "id": 6100020,
  "title": "Why Miami Heat Reportedly Passed On Ben Simmons Despite Point Guard Depth Concerns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/why-miami-heat-reportedly-passed-on-ben-simmons-despite-point-guard",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-07T04:40:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-miami-heat-reportedly-passed-044002131.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Miami Heat allegedly declined to sign Ben Simmons, despite needing point guard reinforcements. According to Ira Winderman, senior writer for the Sun Sentinel, the team rejected Simmons because he is no longer a win-now player. \"At a certain point, a team in win-now mode has to draw a valuation line between players who can be developed/reclaimed and those needed to contribute in the moment,\" Winderman explained. The Heat have several young guards, including Ryan Conwell, Myron Gardner, and Tre Donaldson, who could fill the role. The Kings offered a better fit for Simmons, with no immediate pressure to perform. Simmons last played in the NBA two years ago, averaging 5.6 assists, 5.0 points, and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 52.0%. The Heat, currently with 14 players and $2.5 million in cap space, could use a veteran backup point guard. With limited options, the team may rely on young talent and depth, with Josh Hart serving as a notable example.",
  "summary": "The Miami Heat apparently passed on Ben Simmons because he is not a win-now player.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}