One NBA writer believes the Brooklyn Nets need to “gauge the market” for point-forward Ben Simmons this offseason.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report thinks the Nets need to see if there’s a team out there that will take Simmons off their hands.
“This one’s easier said than done,” Bailey wrote. “Ben Simmons missed all of 2021-22. And in 2022-23, he was limited to 42 games (33 starts) and averaged just 6.9 points per game. His trade value has never been lower.
“But the Nets need to at least see if any team out there might take a flyer on him. For Brooklyn, which can already field a competitive roster with Bridges, Johnson and Nic Claxton, having Simmons on the books for $37.9 million this season (and $40.3 next season) is a far worse value than it might be for some other team.”
Simmons was projected to be one of the faces of the NBA just a few years ago. He won the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Award and made three All-Star teams, one All-NBA team and two All-Defensive teams with the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, Simmons never developed a jumper and he’s now considered one of the most overrated players in the league. The lefty missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a holdout with the Sixers and then a back injury with the Nets. Simmons played in just 42 games in 2022-23 with Brooklyn, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists.
In 317 NBA games, Simmons has made only five 3-pointers. The LSU product signed a massive five-year, $177.2 million maximum rookie contract extension with Philadelphia in 2019. Simmons, 26, will make $37.9 million next season, which is far too much money for a player who can’t shoot.
It will be fascinating to see what happens with Simmons moving forward. Most Nets fans don’t want anything to do with Simmons.
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