Ben Simmons

[Lipoli390]

The Nets are limited on what first-round picks they can trade. The two first-round picks of their own they can trade are their 2027 and 2029. They always have the Sixers 2027 first round pick top 8 protected. Apparently, they received the Mavs 2029 first-round picks, but I don't know what if any protections it has.

If the Wolves could get the Sixers and Nets 2027 along with Simmons in exchange for DLO, I'd probably pull the trigger on the deal, but that move would go hand and hand with moving Gobert either at the deadline or next summer. As Cam noted, the spacing problems created by Gobert become far worse with both Gobert and Simmons on the court. If we traded DLO for Simmons without moving Gobert at the deadline, I think we'd diminish our chances of success this season. In that case, it would be a longer-term move.

[WildWolf2813]

The guy missed an entire season of basketball and was heckled at every opportunity. Lost his confidence. That's what's holding him back. Get him out of New York, for starters, and give him an off-season to get right. There's still a good player there.

San Antonio seems like a good team to take a flyer on him, and they were in the mix for him at one point.

Just for the record as someone who watches the Nets regularly, Simmons being in NY isn't the problem. It's not as if he's being followed around by the media. If anything he's been largely ignored and he's still struggling. Given how the Nets are constructed now, he doesn't have much of a role there either. Simmons at C? No need. Claxton has emerged. Simmons as a PF? They have 2 guys in O'Neale and Finney-Smith who can admirably do what Ben can defensively. Simmons at PG? Well, it's not that his vision sucks. It's that he refuses to do anything but pass which makes kicking it out to shooters that much harder.

The Ben Simmons that we saw in Philly early on is dead and gone. What makes it worse is that I think he's faking his mental health anguish. He's happy and at peace everywhere but the basketball court. If he could find a job that pays him what he gets now that isn't as a hooper, he'd leave all of this behind.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

The guy missed an entire season of basketball and was heckled at every opportunity. Lost his confidence. That's what's holding him back. Get him out of New York, for starters, and give him an off-season to get right. There's still a good player there.

San Antonio seems like a good team to take a flyer on him, and they were in the mix for him at one point.

Just for the record as someone who watches the Nets regularly, Simmons being in NY isn't the problem. It's not as if he's being followed around by the media. If anything he's been largely ignored and he's still struggling. Given how the Nets are constructed now, he doesn't have much of a role there either. Simmons at C? No need. Claxton has emerged. Simmons as a PF? They have 2 guys in O'Neale and Finney-Smith who can admirably do what Ben can defensively. Simmons at PG? Well, it's not that his vision sucks. It's that he refuses to do anything but pass which makes kicking it out to shooters that much harder.

The Ben Simmons that we saw in Philly early on is dead and gone. What makes it worse is that I think he's faking his mental health anguish. He's happy and at peace everywhere but the basketball court. If he could find a job that pays him what he gets now that isn't as a hooper, he'd leave all of this behind.

Ben Simmons needs a fresh start away from New York, and a lot of the reasons why you've already explained for me. I'm also not sure playing in the shadows of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did much good for him either. Players like Simmons are at their best when they're forced to be aggressive, and I think he got too comfortable this year. That's where the passive play stems from, in my opinion. He checked out of thinking that he was a star player because he didn't have to be that guy on the Nets. In a different environment -- without two top-50 players all-time on the same roster -- I think he could regain that. It's a gamble, sure, and lots of speculation is involved here, but I haven't seen a decline in skill or ability. It's about usage and mentality with him. Those are correctable issues as far as I see it.

[WildWolf2813]

The guy missed an entire season of basketball and was heckled at every opportunity. Lost his confidence. That's what's holding him back. Get him out of New York, for starters, and give him an off-season to get right. There's still a good player there.

San Antonio seems like a good team to take a flyer on him, and they were in the mix for him at one point.

Just for the record as someone who watches the Nets regularly, Simmons being in NY isn't the problem. It's not as if he's being followed around by the media. If anything he's been largely ignored and he's still struggling. Given how the Nets are constructed now, he doesn't have much of a role there either. Simmons at C? No need. Claxton has emerged. Simmons as a PF? They have 2 guys in O'Neale and Finney-Smith who can admirably do what Ben can defensively. Simmons at PG? Well, it's not that his vision sucks. It's that he refuses to do anything but pass which makes kicking it out to shooters that much harder.

The Ben Simmons that we saw in Philly early on is dead and gone. What makes it worse is that I think he's faking his mental health anguish. He's happy and at peace everywhere but the basketball court. If he could find a job that pays him what he gets now that isn't as a hooper, he'd leave all of this behind.

Ben Simmons needs a fresh start away from New York, and a lot of the reasons why you've already explained for me. I'm also not sure playing in the shadows of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did much good for him either. Players like Simmons are at their best when they're forced to be aggressive, and I think he got too comfortable this year. That's where the passive play stems from, in my opinion. He checked out of thinking that he was a star player because he didn't have to be that guy on the Nets. In a different environment -- without two top-50 players all-time on the same roster -- I think he could regain that. It's a gamble, sure, and lots of speculation is involved here, but I haven't seen a decline in skill or ability. It's about usage and mentality with him. Those are correctable issues as far as I see it.

Like I said, playing in NY is not the issue with Ben. He plays in about just as much anonymity as he would if he was a Wolf. The only mistake in terms of usage is that Nash when he was coach didn't expect him to be a scorer.

But if he was in Minnesota he'd be in Ant and KAT's shadow with the same expectations he has in Brooklyn. Given the fact that KD and Kyrie were out plenty this season, he never took the initiative to be aggressive. Even a game like last night. They're undermanned and all they have is Cam Thomas (who used to not play often at all) and Sumner. Tonight is one of those nights where if he went 3-17, at least people would be happy that he took 17 shots. He can't even bring himself to try and fail. At this rate, he'll never wind up in a situation where even for a stretch he'll be the guy because nobody trusts him.

[AbeVigodaLive]

For the record... the Nets lost by 4 tonight to the Suns.

Simmons line:

1 - 2 fg
2 points
4 rebs
6 assists
4 TOs


[Note: Cam Thomas went for 40+ again. That's three straight games. Abysmal passer and very selfish... but a bucket getter who's been efficient scoring the ball. He's taken 40 free throws in the three games.]