Brooklyn Nets: Ben Simmons’ downfall has been startling to witness
By Jeff Mount
Brooklyn Nets: One play changed Ben Simmons’career.
Simmons missed last season entirely, due in part to mental health issues brought on by being unwilling to play before Philadelphia fans after his non-dunk. He was traded to the Nets as part of the James Harden trade, a deal that has seemingly made both teams worse.
It’s easy to forget what a transcendent talent Simmons was before this. In 2021, he was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and finished third on the All-NBA team. He finished in the top 30 in assists, rebounds, and steals. Most importantly, he was an effective offensive player, with a shooting percentage of 55.6% for his career. His shooting range was limited, but he was nearly unstoppable driving to the hoop and a good distributor.
So far this season, Simmons seems like a shell of that guy. He is averaging six points per game in 31 minutes, hardly shooting at all and making just 44 percent of his shots when he does, despite almost never shooting from more than a few feet away. The Nets are 29th in the league in defensive efficiency because opponents are shredding them when Simmons plays center.
They are 17th in offensive efficiency, despite having two Hall of Famers in the lineup because when Simmons plays with another big, the spacing is a mess. Now Simmons is out with a knee injury.