NBA News August 10: Ben Simmons, Schedule and the Second Apron
Ben Simmons is preparing for an NBA comeback by training with the Australian national team, while the new second apron continues to reshape the NBA market. Meanwhile, the 2026-27 NBA schedule is drawing closer
The NBA offseason has entered its quietest stretch, the part of the summer when you usually just wait for training camp and call it a day.
Usually. Because today’s news cycle is anything but boring, starting with a name that seemed to have disappeared from the radar: Ben Simmons.
Simmons tries again (again)
The latest comeback attempt starts in Melbourne. Simmons will train at a Boomers minicamp alongside Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels, and the thing that stands out is that he would take part without any particular physical restrictions – in fact, he says he feels better than he has in years.
It’s not an NBA comeback yet, but something is moving. Simmons would even be willing to accept a minimum contract, and a few teams have already shown interest in bringing him in for training camp. After years of injuries, unfulfilled expectations and constant setbacks, his next contract could come without any significant guarantees. And maybe that’s exactly what he needed.
There’s also the 2028 Olympics in the background: rebuilding his relationship with the Boomers now carries twice the importance. At 30, Simmons still has time to put his career back together – the talent has never been in question, the problem has always been figuring out what kind of player he can be today.
The second apron Is changing everything
Meanwhile, the league is dealing with the new CBA, and the second apron is having far-reaching consequences beyond what many expected. It’s not just about paying more in taxes: it can block trades, signings and future moves, forcing franchises into drastic decisions.
Boston traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers (in exchange for Paul George and picks) partly to avoid an unmanageable salary structure, while players such as LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama have accepted below-max contracts to give their teams more flexibility. That would have been unthinkable until recently: for years, superstars wanted to take as much money as possible, but now, in certain cases, taking the maximum can make it harder to build a championship team.
Anunoby has already moved on
In New York, meanwhile, OG Anunoby’s calmness is surprising. He admitted that he doesn’t even think about the Game 4 tip-in that decided the Finals anymore – perfectly in line with his personality. The Knicks won their first title since 1973, but the mood in the locker room is already right: celebrate, then try to do it again.
The 2026-27 NBA Schedule is coming
According to Marc Stein, the 2026-27 NBA schedule should be released this week, and there are already some must-see matchups to circle: Jaylen Brown returns to Boston as an opponent, LeBron James makes his Philadelphia debut, and the summer’s trades immediately create new rivalries.
The full schedule for the 2026-27 NBA season should be officially announced next week
Marc Stein
Golden State is already thinking about life after Curry
Curry remains the priority, but the Warriors will soon have to address the Brandin Podziemski situation as well, with the guard now eligible for an extension after becoming increasingly central to the rotation. Early figures are reportedly above $20 million per season – and this is where the earlier discussion comes back into play: between the second apron, extensions and superstars taking less, building an NBA roster today is a much more complicated puzzle than it used to be.
That’s all for today, but the NBA never stops. We’ll be back tomorrow with another edition of NBA News by Dunkest, to start the day with all the biggest stories from around the NBA.