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The Ben Simmons era of the Philadelphia 76ers will not be one remembered fondly. The franchise looked at the lengthy Australian as one of the true franchise cornerstones after selecting him as the number one overall pick in the 2016 draft. While there was some notable success during his time playing alongside Joel Embiid, all positive memories will likely be covered up by the ugly breakup with the organization.
After months of holding out and remaining away from the team, Simmons was ultimately traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a package that landed James Harden. Simmons remained out for the entirety of last season but finally made his return to the court this year. While suiting up to play games is a step in the right direction, the Nets have been frustrated by the version of Simmons that has arrived.
Ian Bagley of SNYtv reports that the Nets have also thrown around Simmons’ name in trade discussions. As he recently put it, “In a big-picture sense, you wonder what happens with this roster. I was told that even prior to that loss on Saturday, the Nets had been talking to teams about cursory trade ideas, and the Nets were looking for shooting, and Ben Simmons’ name actually came up in at least one conversation the Nets were having with a Western Conference team. It seems like several things are on the table for this roster.”
Simmons Outlook in Brooklyn
Through the seven games he has played with the Nets, Simmons has averaged 29.6 minutes per game. During this time he has produced 5.6 points, 6.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He also is attempting just 5.2 field goal attempts per game. His previous career-low with the Sixers was 10.1 shot attempts.
Perhaps most concerning has been the lack of defensive impact. Simmons, who was once regarded as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, is no longer feared by opposing players. In a recent matchup with the Mavericks, Luka Doncic singled Simmons out as a point of weakness and attacked him repetitively. While Doncic is a gifted scorer, Simmons used to be on the shortlist list of players equipped with guarding him one-on-one. Brooklyn was counting on Simmons to set the tone defensively and his ineffectiveness is a major reason why the team ranks 21st in the NBA in defensive efficiency.
Steve Nash has already been fired to start the season and there has been plenty of drama surrounding Kyrie Irving this year. While Kevin Durant appears bought back in and is playing at a high level following his offseason trade request, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Simmons has been a cause of frustration for the superstar.
Sixers Outlook Without Simmons
The Sixers have not gotten off to the start they hoped this season, but it is fair to say they should feel much better about the state they are in as an organization when compared to Brooklyn. Harden will be missed during his month-long absence with a right foot tendon sprain. However, his humble averages of 22.0 points, 10.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds look pretty good when reflecting on the trade.
Philadelphia currently holds a record of 5-6 on the season with Embiid missing four of the team’s first 11 games. The reigning MVP runner-up recently declared that “our season started tonight” following the most recent victory. Look for the Sixers to remain focused on their goals and get back on track while their Eastern Conference foe takes its turn attempting to deal with Simmons.
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