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The primary focus around the NBA when it comes to beleaguered general manager Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets, and with good reason, is star forward Kevin Durant. The secondary focus, also with good reason, is on point guard Kyrie Irving. Durant is looking to exit the team, while Irving is sure to follow thereafter.
Where, though, does that leave the guy the Nets brought in to salvage something from the woebegone James Harden experiment? Where is Ben Simmons when things shake out at the top of the team’s totem pole?
One NBA source told Heavy.com’s Steve Bulpett that Simmons could be in some trouble if he is left solo in Brooklyn as the team’s main star player. Simmons works as a very high-level role-player, but not so much as a featured star.
“Unless Brooklyn gets back major talent for KD — not just a load of first round picks and some players who match the money, but serious talent that can star now — then Ben’s going to lose his cover,” the source told Heavy.
Simmons Struggles With Too Much Offensive Responsibility
As we saw during Simmons’ tenure in Philadelphia, putting too much offensive responsibility on Simmons does not usually go well. Simmons got more and more tentative when the stage got bigger, especially as he began to struggle with free throws. Playing with Irving and Durant would have masked those deficiencies and allowed Simmons to play great defense, a strength of his, and just collect assists on the offensive end.
“When he got traded there, he was going to be with KD and Kyrie,” the source said. “Those are two guys who would do the stuff that Ben can’t … or doesn’t want to. They’d take the outside shots and absorb the main pressure of having to produce in the playoffs. If he’s ever got out there with them, all Ben would have to do to be successful is play really good defense and keep the ball moving.
“Depending on what Brooklyn gets back for KD, it could all be on Ben this year. And it’d be worse than it was (in Philadelphia) when he had Joel (Embiid).”
Considering Simmons has not set foot on an NBA court since the 2021 playoffs, missing all of last year with his Sixers trade demand as well as mental health and back issues, the Nets have reasons to be concerned. A trade of Simmons could, potentially, follow Irving and Durant deals, though it would be tough to generate a market for him.
What About Other Nets Assets?
And there are other pieces in Brooklyn to consider, pieces that could find themselves on the trading block should the Nets proceed with a tear-down of the roster.
Shooters Joe Harris and Seth Curry, who are both consistently better than 40% 3-point shooters, will certainly have a market should the Nets look to move them. Harris still has $39 million on his contract over two seasons, while Curry has just one more year, at $8.5 million, a very team-friendly contract.
The Nets, even before Durant’s trade request, made a deal for defensive guard Royce O’Neale, sending away next year’s first-round pick in a move the team pretty quickly regretted. O’Neale could be dealt later in the season.
But all this assumes that the Nets will go into a full rebuilding mode. That might not be the case, if they can wrangle a few star players in return for the likes of Durant and Irving. Just how Brooklyn will handle the transition remains unclear.
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