Ben Simmons comes into the 2022-23 season as the new piece that can put the Brooklyn Nets back into title contention.
The 6’11” point guard possesses a skillset unlike any other player in Nets franchise history. Coming off a disappointing 2021-22 season, head coach Steve Nash was highly complimentary of the three-time All-Star’s versatility Tuesday at training camp.
“He makes the game easier for his teammates at both ends,” Nash said. “That’s the sign of a great player.”
Simmons was predominately featured as a point guard while in Philadelphia. His high-level two-way play earned him All-NBA honors in 2020.
The former 76er is among the top playmakers and defenders in the league. Simmons ranks fifth in assists among all players since coming into the NBA in 2017. He was also named first-team All-Defense in each of his last two seasons. With great length and incredible athleticism, Simmons can guard one through five and presents the defensive stopper Brooklyn was missing alongside Durant and Irving last season.
The bulk of criticism throughout Simmons’ career has centered on his lack of an outside shot. But Nash said he is not concerned with the Aussie’s jump shot in Brooklyn.
“He’s very unique,” Nash said. “That’s what makes Ben great. That’s why I don’t care if he ever shoots a jump shot for the Brooklyn Nets. He’s welcome to, but that is not what makes him special and not what we need.”
“For me, Ben is an incredible playmaker,” he continued. “He plays point guard, he’s incredible in transition, he’s a good screener. Those are things that we need from Ben and that’s what he’s special at.”
Simmons’ ability to orchestrate the fastbreak will add a new element to Brooklyn’s offense this year. He ranked second in the league in transition assists during the 2020-21 season. The first-year Net said his unique skillset allows him to impact nearly every aspect of the game.
“I just want to go out there and impact the game in any way I can,” Simmons said. ”Whether it’s setting a pick, passing the ball, scoring the ball, getting a stop, rebounding the ball, or getting a block. There’s so many ways you can affect a game, it’s not just scoring, it’s not just defense. But for me, I feel like I cover most of those things.”
While Simmons is among the best ball-handlers and passers in the league, the Nets have two premiere isolation scorers in Durant and Irving. That gives Brooklyn the option to play Simmons at center, something he rarely did alongside Joel Embiid. Nash said Tuesday that he’s very comfortable playing Simmons in the role.
“If he’s the lone big, that’s a role we would definitely play him at,” Steve Nash said. “But he’s also our playmaker and point guard.”
When asked about the idea, Simmons took no issue with playing the five.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Simmons said. “I’ll play wherever the team needs me to play.”
Simmons should frequently play a “point center” role for Brooklyn this year. The Nets can surround him with four high-level shooters to open the lane and maximize his incredible passing ability. Simmons ranks second among all NBA players in three-pointers assisted on since coming into the league in 2017. He can also be used as a screener for Irving and Durant to put stress on opposing pick and roll coverages. Overall, Simmons’ high-level passing, screening, and finishing are perfect complements to Durant, Irving and Brooklyn’s lineup of shooters.
As we approach opening night, the 26-year-old’s mental state will be a frequent point of discussion. Ben Simmons has not played in an NBA game in over 15 months, last appearing in a disastrous Game 7 loss in the second round of the 2021 playoffs.
However, his teammates and coach are confident in his ability to return to his All-Star form, with Nash saying he is “on his way back to being his best”. Patty Mills shares a prior relationship with Simmons as a fellow Australian. Mills said the support system in Brooklyn will only help Simmons as he makes his return.
“He has a great opportunity here to prove himself and the caliber of player he is,” Mills said at Media Day. “I think he’ll only get better in this environment with the full support of the guys here and the organization.”
“What he can bring to this team is going to be through the roof,” he continued.
Irving, another Australia native, has been complimentary of Simmons’ work ethic and resiliency.
“That level of talent, and IQ, and motivation and drive, anything’s possible,” he said via Nick Friedell. “He has that ‘it’ inside of him so now we just have to slowly develop him where he knows that he can just go out there and be himself. We want him to be his highest potential of himself as a player, be able to accomplish things out on the floor that he wasn’t able to do the last few years. And just have some fun being at peace around him.”
Ben Simmons said that he put an emphasis on his mental health to get himself ready for his return to the hardwood.
“I’ve been working on myself this past year to get back on the floor and play at a high level,” he said. “So I deserve to take this opportunity by the horns and get back on the floor.”
The early stage of Simmons’ career was filled with strong opinions about his jump shot, mental state, commitment to the game, and more. This season, the former number one pick said he is not concerned with outside noise.
“I don’t care about narratives,” Ben Simmons said. “I don’t care about people saying certain things because I can’t control that. All I can do is focus on what I can do on the court, win games, and help this team win a championship. That’s the end goal.”
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