Ben Simmons is one of the NBA’s more naturally talented players, yet he is one of its most enigmatic figures at the same time.
After he demanded that the Philadelphia 76ers trade him prior to the 2021-22 season, he was sent to the Brooklyn Nets midway through that campaign, and it looked like he would finally end his holdout and start playing again.
But he didn’t, citing a back injury that just happened to appear once he had arrived in Brooklyn, and he also claimed he had a mental health issue.
Simmons ended up appearing in only 42 games last season, and although he appears to be healthy for this coming season, Ian Begley says the Nets did try to trade him prior to February’s trade deadline, per Legion Hoops.
REPORT: The Nets discussed trades involving Ben Simmons prior to the 2023 trade deadline, per @IanBegley.
“There was one Southeast Division team with a legitimate interest in trading for Simmons then as a reclamation project. But outside of that, teams were wary of bringing him… pic.twitter.com/nmvpeLhg24
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 26, 2023
Simmons is an intriguing player, as he’s listed at 6-foot-11, yet he plays the point guard position and has plenty of pure athletic talent.
He is one of the most potent players in the open court thanks to his speed, explosiveness, ball-handling skills, and ability to hit the open man, and he has also become an elite defender.
The big problem with him, is his inability and unwillingness to hit shots outside of the paint.
Simmons averaged 14.3 points a game during the 2020-21 campaign, but last year, that figure fell to 6.9 points a game.
The Nets are a young and hungry team that has some up and coming talent, and if Simmons is in the right frame of mind, perhaps he could take a small step forward since he’s playing on a team that doesn’t have high expectations anymore.
