Ben Simmons has had a rough season in 2022-23 with many anticipating this to be a comeback year for the former All-Star.
He’s lost the co-stars he was supposed to win a title with and is struggling to stay healthy once again. It’s frustrated coach Jacque Vaughn in the past but he had a more supportive message for Simmons.
“When the back gets better and when the knee gets better then he’ll be with us. So we want that to happen as soon as possible, but we also want to take care of him and make sure that those two things are good. So if you want to say day by day, we can agree to day by day, but we’re going to take care of him and try to get him healthy. We want him back as soon as possible.”
Jacque Vaughn again poured cold water on the idea of shutting down Ben Simmons:
“When the back gets better and when the knee gets better then he’ll be with us. So we want that to happen as soon as possible, but we also want to take care of him and make sure that those two things… pic.twitter.com/QmrqruuE5j
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) March 5, 2023
The coach is actively showing interest in keeping Simmons on the team and in the rotation, even though his minutes have gradually gone down throughout the season. With Simmons’ trade value basically being non-existent right now, the Nets have no choice but to hope Ben can improve on the court for their squad.
Unclear Direction In Brooklyn?
Ben Simmons was added because James Harden wanted to go to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, there was optimism that Simmons would be the perfect defensive fit next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving when he is healthy. Even when he did make it onto the court, Simmons’ lack of aggression and his non-existent offense made it impossible for him to be productive,
Now that the Nets have traded their stars away for a basically new roster, Simmons’ fit is questionable. He doesn’t fit in the frontcourt with proper 3-and-D options like Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cam Johnson joining the squad. He could be their point guard but his lack of offensive aggression will make it hard for the team to keep their defenses honest while Ben has the ball.
Simmons has averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 42 games this season. He may return soon but the Nets’ end goal with him is unknown.
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