5 NBA players at risk of losing their star status in 2023-24

Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets

Ben Simmons' star has been diminished for some time, but the specter of his presence - or lack thereof - has seemingly hung over two franchises heads for years. It doesn't feel that way anymore.
Simmons hasn't taken the court for the Brooklyn Nets since Nov. 6. Since then, he's been dealing with a lower back injury and has repeatedly had his timeline for any potential return pushed back.

Simmons was making decent all-around contributions when he was on the court, averaging 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. But stars need to be able to score and Simmons wasn't doing much of that. His three-point woes aside, Simmons was only scoring 6.5 points per game. He scored just two points in his most recent game despite playing 33 minutes.

This is a fun Nets team that could probably use 70 percent of the old Ben Simmons, but it doesn't really seem to need him. His status on the team has been usurped by Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton ... any Simmons feels like a bonus at this point.

Simmons' shooting woes were always going to do in his status as a No. 1 overall pick, but his other struggles with injuries and attendance have dimmed his star potential as well. Now he's simply a player the Nets can seemingly take or leave at will.