I’m sorry to say it, but this situation has turned into a worst-case scenario for both parties. The Brooklyn Nets have been forced to shut down Ben Simmons for an entire season once again as his back injuries have returned, leaving his expensive spot on the roster an unnecessary expense.
I think it’s clear to say that the Philadelphia 76ers, even though they gave up Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, a 2022 1st round pick (which was deferred to this year), and a 2017 1st round pick, handsomely won the James Harden trade.
Truthfully, I don’t think there’s been a more lopsided trade in the last 5 years in the NBA as the Nets not only gave up a former MVP and bonified Hall of Famer (though, to be fair, he didn’t want to play in Brooklyn anymore), but they ended up also getting Ben Simmons back as the centerpiece compensation. And that’s worthy of the Nets losing this trade in a landslide.
Honestly, the Nets could have given up a bag of peanuts to the 76ers for Ben Simmons, and they still would have lost that trade. That’s how AWFUL Simmons has been for the Nets during the last two seasons.
Not only has he already missed an entire postseason run with the Nets as he was absent during Brooklyn’s 4-0 series loss to the Boston Celtics in 2022, but he’s now putting up career low stats in nearly every single meaningful category this year.
In the 46 games Simmons has played (which is his lowest tally in seasons where he’s played at least 1 game), the PG has 6.9 PPG (career low), 6.3 RPG (career low), 6.1 APG (career low), 1.3 SPG (career low), 0.6 BPG (joint-career low), 26.3 minutes averaged/game (career low), 56.6% FG shooting percentage, and a 0.0% 3-point shooting percentage (joint-career low).
S0, aside from his field goal shooting percentage (which is only 2.1% better than his career low), Simmons is averaging his worst professional point tallies in every single noteworthy category. Not great for a former 1st overall pick, right? Well, it gets even worse when you see that the Nets are paying Simmons a grand total $112M guaranteed for this year and the next two seasons, making it almost impossible to trade the PG.
That’s why the Nets have to cut their losses on Simmons, buyout the former Rookie of the Year’s contract, and fully commit to the rebuild Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden’s, respective, departures left the franchise in.
Keeping Simmons around, who is by all accounts a good guy and neutral force in the locker room, would really hurt this franchise as he not only provides an unpleasant reminder of the KD-Kyrie-Harden
Big 3″ days, but it also seems to be the best course for Simmons to leave and get his career back on track.
I don’t know if Simmons still likes to play basketball or is dealing through his mental health issues once again, but he’s obviously not been the 3X All-Star and 2X All-Defensive player he was for the 76ers. A change of scenery and complete removal from the legacy of the 76ers trade is definitely the best way forward for Simmons and the Nets as both parties have to move on and build for the future, rather than being stuck in the promise of the past.
I wish Ben Simmons all the best as he clearly has the capabilities a Top-10 great defensive player in the NBA, yet that’s not going to happen in Brooklyn. He needs to move on for any chance of redeeming of his career to begin.
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