Although the Nets remade their roster at this month’s trade deadline, Ben Simmons remains the “elephant in the room,” one league executive tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. The executive believes that Simmons “kind of skated on a lot of the criticism” amid the Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant drama.
“Brooklyn had questions and problems with Kyrie and KD from an organizational standpoint, but at least those guys could play,” the exec said. “They were good. Ben has been less than good.”
Back surgery last spring has limited Simmons to some extent this season, but the former No. 1 overall pick has also seemed to lack confidence, especially in half-court offense situations where he can’t use his size and athleticism as effectively as he does in transition.
“When you guard him more like a non-shooter, it’s hard for him to make decisions, because the decision that you need to make is shoot the ball,” the executive said to Bulpett. “… Ultimately for Ben, shooting is the Kryptonite. His decision-making when people are up into his body and he’s running full speed down the court and he’s in the open court with his size, he’s pretty good. But in the half-court, his decision making struggles because he can’t shoot.”
The Nets have spent much of the season searching for the ideal role for Simmons, but head coach Jacque Vaughn remains reluctant to have him on the court alongside center Nic Claxton due to spacing issues, notes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. As a result, the “ongoing Simmons conundrum,” as Crane puts it, may continue to be an issue for the rest of the season. The 26-year-old has two years and about $78MM left on his contract after this year.
Here’s more out of Brooklyn:
- The Nets have kept an eye on the buyout market, but haven’t made it a top priority despite possessing an open 15-man roster spot, Crane writes for The New York Post. The team has more than enough depth and Vaughn and general manager Sean Marks don’t want to mess with Brooklyn’s locker room chemistry.
- While the Nets have made plenty of mistakes in recent years, signing Vaughn to a long-term extension wasn’t one of them, according to Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post, who lauds the team for doing right by a consummate professional like Vaughn.
- Collin Helwig of NetsDaily wonders whether the Nets should look to the Cavaliers as a model worth emulating. As Helwig observes, Cleveland built a strong core and culture and complemented that core by acquiring a star (Donovan Mitchell) this offseason. That’s the sort of deal Brooklyn could eventually seek out to augment the team’s young talent.
The question that comes with the Brooklyn hypothetical is “who do they get?” Most of the players who would be available are either not worth acquiring for that kind of role or have some other issue. LaVine, Derozan, Vuc are all poor fits or underperformers relative to what Brooklyn needs, Jerami Grant isn’t likely to be enough, Kuzma is too inconsistent, Beal’s status is up in the air and he hasn’t been available to play as much as you’d like the last couple seasons, who knows what’s happening with anyone in Minnesota, Warriors aren’t going to break their core… who’s left?
There is always time. Who knows what the future holds. Luka, Dame, SGA, Zion, Raptors vets are all possibilities depending on how the next couple years go. Last year no one expected KD and Kyrie to be on the move. Utah blowing it up was a bit of a shocker too.
Fair, I misread the part where they said “eventually”. I was thinking they’d try a fast build around Bridges, Claxton, and Cam Thomas.
6-6-6 average for Ben….
He basically has to play Center at this point. Anywhere else he’s a liability. And I’m not even sure he has the durability to match up down low. He’s been good in limited minutes in that area, but how much of that is because he’s functionally a guard interjecting himself into defensive sets down low is a mystery.
I really assumed the mental health issues Ben’s camp were floating last year was just for leverage against the 76ers. It’s obvious now that is a major component to his troubles. In the off-season, he sould engage in intensive therapy but also see a sports psychologist and shooting coach. And he just 100% has to start shooting free throws underhanded. I know it will create all sorts of drama around the league and with the fans and the scrutiny will be intense but he will get to 70%+ with minimal effort. It will completely change his game. All of this requires a ton of work on his part. Is he up for it? Doesn’t seem so based on past history. Does he even still like playing basketball?
It’s been the same story for him his entire life. The Sixers tried to get him to work with two of the best shooting coaches ever to do it, and he refused. Choosing instead to have his brother be his shooting coach. Brett brown did him no favors by coddling him. The nets had Kyle korver work with him and he’s still not adapting. He didn’t shoot in college, he isn’t shooting in the nba…it’s a shame with his god given gifts that he refuses to work on his craft in any meaningful way and chooses to surround himself with enablers. There is a difference between mental health issues and being mentally weak. I’m not saying he wasn’t dealing with issues that led to his philly exit, but I do not think mental health is the reason he doesn’t work on his shot.
I agree. He can have mental health issues without blaming those issues on everyone else. It’s the lack of personal responsibility that is the real problem.
I honestly don’t believe his heart is in it.
Simmons is going through the motions in his career. He’s more concerned about how he looks and being liked.
It’s sad because no one wants to see wasted talent, and frustrating because so many folks have supported him, only to get nothing in return.
I don’t think Ben Simmons is a bad guy, quite the contrary. But I do believe he’s not into basketball any longer.
Time to move on from Ben. He is getting worse every season.
The question is, how? His contract makes him a negative asset. Maybe a straight-up swap for Gordon Heyward, but would Charlotte really want to give up their veteran leader?
For the buyout issue, it doesn’t look like they’re going to target anyone at this point. If they decide to fill the 15th spot, I could see them signing Chris Chiozza by March 1 to a rest-of-season deal but leaving him in Long Island where he could lead the team to a G-League title.
The land of misfit toys
If shooting is your kryptonite maybe basketball isn’t your sport…
Simmons is not mentally ill. He’s mentally weak.
He’ll start playing better right before his contract expires.
@DS1 Agreed, all these bums are the same. Take the money and run
Towns may be on the Market if Minny fades with him playing. Minnesota is Edwards Team now.
**BREAKING NEWS** shooting is a required skill for a basketball player. The scouts complete missed on this guy. Potential is the most dangerous word to front offices. Every player has the potential to be great. They need a want to. Simmons has never had it. He was anointed because there are about 20 good basketball players in Australia ever. He was never one of them.
Where are all the sixer haters and Simmons defenders on this god for saken site. The it’s docs fault Simmons is a quitter, it’s jojo’s fault baby Ben never met a shot he liked, it’s the philly fans fault gentle Ben sits at crunch time cause he can’t hit his charity stripe shots. Welcome to Philly Beard.
We don’t talk about it because most people just understand that Philly sucks. Kind of like saying water is wet. Simmons being on the roster has nothing to do with it. Just a helpless franchise that will get bounced in the first round and pout for another offseason.
A mouthful of nothing lil pee
Def not a championship that’s 4 sure
They could just cut him and stretch the salary? Detroit did it to someone with multi years left like 5-10 years ago I just forget who
Blake griffin
Marks has to trade everybody for picks as long as Ben is in the Nets roster…
I’m a Simmons fan but I think the time has coke for him to move on again. Clearly not a fit in Brooklyn and if you can’t work it out with Claxton he’s forever going to be on the bench.
Even as a fan you have to admire he’s been hugely underwhelming and frankly disappointing.
Some potential deals…
1. Gordan Hayward and a heavily protected first for Ben Simmons.
Hornets could use Simmons as a forward, he’d be huge for them on defence and I think fit well in their high tempo style. As for Brooklyn Hayward next season is a expiring contract so it clears money or can be used as an asset in a trade.
2. Ben Simmons for Kyle Kuzma in a sign and trade
Brooklyn tries to keep a playoff side with Dinwiddie Bridges Kuzma Johnson and Claxton
Wizards think Kuzma becomes to expensive and wants to buy into Ben. Ben Beal KP that’s a solid trio possibly idk… probably unlikely as they like Kuz
3. Ben Simmons for Colin Sexton, THT and Rudy Gay.
Brooklyn takes back Sexton as uses him as their impact sixth man. Fits the timeline well with Bridges Johnson and Claxton. The other two guys are salary fillers on expiring deals. Utah buys into the Ben project and hope he finds form (or how to shoot) and it boost his value or that he can then into a franchise piece in their rebuild. Would be a good fit with Lauri, although not really with Walker.
Personally id like to see the Utah move. Think that could work for him in a small market with no expectations. Otherwise being in Charlotte wouldn’t be bad either with LaMelo, Washington possibly Bridges returning.
None of these are bad ideas, but at this point you are not getting fair value for him. To coin Bill Simmons you are moving him for pennies on the dollar. He needs at least one good stretch to give a front office even a little faith, otherwise why would you trade for a guy who isn’t even cracking the roster. It won’t happen but I wouldn’t bat an eye if Nets just bought him out.
Pennies on the dollar but the dollar has lost that much value it’s only worth pennies at this stage. Of course his value could come back but how long will that take.
I’d just move him
I really don’t believe the Nets can get much for Simmons, given his limited offense and giant contract.