Those who have invested and held their Ben Simmons rookie cards during the last year or so know a thing or two about endurance. For one, the point forward's conflict with the Philadelphia 76ers has gone on longer than anybody expected or wanted. His refusal to play has not only cost him millions of dollars in fines, Simmons' stock in the sports card market has also been dragged down for the past few months much to the detriment of his collectors.
But while things got ugly for the former Rookie of the Year awardee, there's certainly light waiting for him at the end of the tunnel. With Simmons set to play for the Brooklyn Nets soon, those in the hobby are looking forward to seeing his stock go back up again. Shown below are some good reasons why it's time once again to get his cards before they can potentially shoot up.
Why you need to look out for Ben Simmons rookie cards
Simmons can still play at an All-NBA level
For most NBA fans and card collectors, the only memory that somehow stuck was Simmons' refusal to make the wide-open jam during Game 7 between the 76ers and Atlanta Hawks last postseason. From that point on, the All-Star forward has been through hell and back with endless criticisms being flung at him.
Even with all of these things being thrown at him, one thing remains to be true – Simmons can still perform at an All-NBA level.
Prior to his last season with Philadelphia, the 6'11” forward was notching 16.4 points 7.8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game during his 2019-20 campaign. And even if his numbers slightly dipped the following season and he still didn't develop a reliable jumper, there aren't too many guys in the NBA who can do what he does.
Now imagine what he can truly do on the court and place him in a situation like Brooklyn. As of now, the Nets are 11th in the league when it comes to defensive rating and 13th on offense. With James Harden going to Philadelphia, Kyrie Irving unavailable at home, and Kevin Durant out with an injury, Simmons' role with his new team will certainly be maximized, thanks to his playmaking prowess and defensive tenacity on the court.
The key here is to have Steve Nash surround Simmons with enough shooting, an element which Brooklyn has. With the presence of Patty Mills, Seth Curry, and Durant sometime soon, the 25 year-old Australian can cause trouble inside the paint by using his size or creating plays for his teammates out in the open.
If all goes well, those Ben Simmons rookie cards will enjoy a renaissance of sorts in the market.
Simmons' rookie cards are readily available
When the onslaught of negativity and doubts rained on Simmons after the playoffs last year and right before he was traded to Brooklyn, his rookie cards bear the brunt of the damage. While some collectors cashed in on their Ben Simmons rookie cards at a loss, there were still some who chose to keep theirs. Now that the point forward is going to play soon, expect those cards to make their way into the market.
The good thing about this development is collectors won't run out of supply if they choose to grab a rookie card or two of the Net's new star. Also, prices of these cards are trending up ever since they hit rock bottom a few months ago.
Case in point, this three-month chart of Simmons' PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card by Card Ladder. As seen above, the said card is hitting the $250-level after starting out at around $120 late last year. This figure can potentially go higher if Simmons starts to play well in Brooklyn this season or even the next. And with a ready supply of these cards in the market, there's no reason for collectors not to grab one.
Adding these two reasons together, collectors will have all the justification they need to invest in Ben Simmons cards because they're among the ideal buy-low candidates in the market. Rather than not have them in the coming months, it's better to have one or two to see how the Nets' new star plays out in the hobby.
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