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3 reasons the Brooklyn Nets won’t win the NBA title

By Josh Cornelissen

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 31: Kevin Durant #7 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets look on during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center on March 31, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 31: Kevin Durant #7 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets look on during their game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center on March 31, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 10: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

3 reasons Brooklyn Nets won’t win the title: Ben Simmons is a wild card

The trade the Brooklyn Nets made with the Philadelphia 76ers at the NBA Trade Deadline was probably a win for the Nets. They moved an aging, petulant and expensive guard for two solid rotation players, draft capital, and Ben Simmons, who, for all of his warts, is much younger than James Harden and seems like a better two-way fit.

None of that matters in the here-and-now, as Simmons is yet to play a minute for the Nets, nor has he played a minute all season. In fact, the last minute of basketball he played was perhaps the worst of his career, passing up an open layup in Game 7 of the playoffs and starting the spiral that led him out of Philadelphia.

There are reports that Simmons will be back as early as Game 3 of the series against the Boston Celtics, but what does that mean for the Nets? He is rested, surely, but coming off of injury with an incredible amount of rust to shake off. He has never played with Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving. Will he play 15 minutes per game? 25? 35?

It’s impossible to know what the Nets will get from Simmons. He may look the part of a do-it-all defender, the kind the Nets need in the worst way, but will he be able to execute a team defensive scheme against a great team in the Celtics right away? How will his back hold up?

Oh, and we haven’t even mentioned offense. Will playing Simmons kill the Nets’ spacing? The Celtics can leave Simmons entirely, or even foul him. Are the Nets simply better off with Bruce Brown, who is smaller than Simmons but has a lot more chemistry built with this roster? No one can know what Simmons will bring this team, against the Celtics or beyond.

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