Another Twist In Simmons’ Saga Should Spell End To His Nets Tenure
As is often the case with Ben Simmons, things aren’t what they seem. I just knew when Simmons missed a bunch of games after the All-Star break with what the Nets proclaimed was “left leg soreness”, there had to be something more.
And indeed there was, as the diagnosis was subsequently amended to the dreaded nerve impingement in a back that underwent surgery in the 2022 offseason and then continued to plague Simmons to the point where he was only able to suit up for 59 of Brooklyn’s 144 games over the last two seasons. When he did play, he often appeared a shell of his athletic, former All-Star self.
That games played ratio will expand to 59 of 164 now that the Nets announced on Thursday that Simmons will be shut down for the remainder of the season. After that, who knows? Will Brooklyn part with a first-round Draft pick to offload his approximately $40 million salary cap hit for 2024-25? More importantly, will any other team accept such a “deal?” I don’t see the point of Simmons returning, but I never saw the point of him coming here as the featured consideration in the 2022 James Harden blockbuster with Philadelphia.
It was a lousy fit then and a lousy fit this season, not to mention a risky proposition for the Nets to put so many eggs in the Simmons basket. I know it was under a previous regime, but didn’t anyone remember the Andrei Kirilenko saga? Chronic back spasms ensured he was never the same versatile player for the 2013-14 Nets that he was in Utah. Or thereafter, as he retired from pro basketball a year later. Back injuries are difficult to correct and relapses are common.
Why did transparency over Simmons’ latest setback take so long? Strangely, Simmons’ agent Bernard Lee attempted to deflect responsibility onto himself. Ok, but where were the Nets in all of this? Their speed dial supposedly contains a lengthy list of medical professionals at the highest levels of service. At the time of Lee’s comments to SNY’s Ian Begley on March 4, Simmons hadn’t even had an MRI.
Simmons had issues that predated Lee when he was a Sixer. He sat out the 2021-22 campaign due to mental health struggles before his trade to Brooklyn. The Sixers initially held back contract payments but later both parties agreed to an undisclosed settlement.
No one should question Simmons’ veracity as there were reports that his condition was exacerbated by personal matters. The Sixers did him no favors by basically throwing him under the bus following their 2021 second round defeat to the Hawks. Head Coach Doc Rivers questioned whether Philadelphia could win an NBA Championship with Simmons as his point guard. Ouch.
However, that doesn’t absolve Simmons of all culpability over what went down in Philly. He felt he deserved all the perks of superstardom, including the max contract. He allegedly chafed when the organization chose to make Joel Embiid the team’s focal point over him (Smart move by them). Yet there were rumblings he didn’t put in the work to fix his glaring flaw—shooting from anywhere outside the restricted area, especially free throws.
The inability to improve at the line (he was shooting a career worst 40% this season) developed into an apparent fear of getting fouled, which severely limited what he could contribute in a halfcourt offense. Embiid’s presence on the Sixers enabled them to overcome a the floor spacing dilemma; no such big existed in Brooklyn.
The Nets tried everything to make the Simmons experiment work—they went above and beyond to maintain positive vibes even through all the convalescences. For reasons controllable and uncontrollable, it never stood a chance.
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By the way, family obligations forced me to miss Thursday night’s Nets/Pistons game. Lucky me.