Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn appears to be growing increasingly frustrated with Aussie Ben Simmons.
For the second time this season, Simmons failed to see out the second game of a back-to-back, leaving in the third quarter of the Nets’ loss to the lowly Detroit Pistons with ‘knee soreness’.
Simmons has missed a number of games this season with knee soreness, along with calf issues and lower back pain. The issues are connected, he has said in the past, to a back problem that required surgery early last year.
But Simmons’ fitness woes only served to exacerbate a problem that is becoming increasingly clear for the title-chasing Nets – Simmons is not delivering the kind of help that superstar Kyrie Irving needs. Nor, for that matter, is he delivering the kind of impact that warrants the Australian’s massive pay cheque.
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Against the worst team in the East Conference, and the team with the second-worst defense in the NBA, Simmons managed zero points on just three attempts before heading to the locker room.
Vaughn said: “Whether it’s a back-to-back — I remember four in five nights, three in four, four in six, doesn’t matter. You do what’s necessary, whether that’s taking care of your body, the mental part of it, the work that goes on between days off, days off, between games, game day, to get yourself in a position to win. That’s why we do this thing.”
When asked about Ben Simmons’ injury, Vaughn was even more blunt – and even appeared to roll his eyes at one point.
“The goal, in my eyes, is for everyone to play every game and to do what’s necessary to play every game.
“It’s a certain amount of minutes that each individual played in Philly. Some played equally tonight. So the preparation that it takes going into that, you just have to give credit to the guys who were prepared to play, ready to play, did what was necessary to get their bodies ready to play.”
The inference is clear: Simmons is not doing what is necessary, mentally or physically.
Vaughn’s frustrations are understandable. Irving dropped 40 points on the same day he was named All-Star starter. With fellow All-Star Kevin Durant injured, Ben Simmons is the Nets’ second-highest player on the court, picking up $35.45m USD this year and rising to over $40m by 2024/25.
But in the eight games without Durant, the Nets have lost six. In that span, Simmons has averaged six points, 5.9 rebounds and 8.3 assists. In the absence of the Nets’ top scorer this season, Simmons’ scoring output has dropped from his already-meagre season average of 7.4 points (he’s also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season).
In a damning assessment of Simmons’ form, John Hollinger said he was being paid “roughly three times what he’s worth” while fellow The Athletic reporter Alex Schiffer added he was playing “closer to a taxpayer’s midlevel player”.
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With the trade deadline looming, it leaves Brooklyn in a serious spot of trouble. Without Durant on the court, Irving’s regular scoring heroics are not enough to carry the Nets. They are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with the only losing record in their last ten games of the top eight teams. A very friendly schedule sees them play at home for much of the remainder of the regular season. But by the time Durant returns – likely not for another fortnight – the damage to their hopes of reaching a top-two spot in the East could already be done.
Simmons is listed as ‘questionable’ to play in the Nets big clash with the NY Knicks (Sunday 9.30am AEDT). Once again, his long battle with injuries is proving a key problem.
As Robin Lundberg of Sports Illustrated wrote in response to Vaughn’s frustrated press conference answers, “It feels like the Ben Simmons situation is nearing a breaking point.”
But a trade appears all-but-impossible. Lundberg added: “Not sure what that even looks like though. He’s only a role player now and is essentially untradeable.”
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As Schiffer said on The Athletic: “I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t see a trade market for him, and whatever the return is likely won’t give you immediate help. Could you even get a first-rounder in return?”
Hollinger added: “As for trading Simmons, good luck with that. The Nets would need to attach draft picks, not receive them, and — last I checked — they need a permission slip from the Rockets to do anything with any of their draft capital.
“I just don’t see any cap situation right now on another roster where exchanging for Simmons would be helpful, and that won’t change unless either Simmons plays better or another player on a huge contract plays badly enough that trading him for Simmons becomes palatable.”
It’s a damning indictment of just how far Simmons’ stock has fallen – especially considering the Nets gave up James Harden to the 76ers to bring the Aussie to Brooklyn.
After the Irving-Harden-Durant megastar trio failed to live up to its lofty expectations, that trade was all about delivering the Nets a championship as soon as possible.
But Simmons’ big contract means they have precious little cap space to play with in the trade market to reinforce, either now or at the end of the season.
Again, a big problem. The Nets are delaying handing Kyrie Irving a long-term contract extension as long as possible, with the red-hot star becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. The point guard has declared that he wants to stay with his hometown team, but talks have stalled.
That problem might only be solved after the season ends, when the Nets figure out if they’re happy to keep paying the league a seven-figure luxury tax to keep their big three intact – especially if this year’s playoffs run
Before then, expect activity in the trade market. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote: “League sources say the Nets are one of the teams more actively looking for upgrades before the stretch run. Joe Harris ($18.6 million), Seth Curry ($8.5 million), and Patty Mills ($6.5 million) could be involved in trades because of their short-term salaries and the fact that they’ve been playing lesser roles lately.”
Nic Claxton’s rapid rise has turned him into a crucial piece of their playoff puzzle. But he and Ben Simmons share a weakness from the free-throw line – both shooting in the 40 percent range – as well as a poor shooting game from beyond the arc.
More big-man depth could make a big difference down the stretch, and names like Jakob Poeltl or John Collins have been thrown around, as has Myles Turner.
Otherwise, a wing like Bojan Bogdanovic could offer plenty of value. Whether the Nets have enough to offer is the big question – and given Simmons’ trade value has tumbled so far, don’t expect him to be on the move.
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