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The Brooklyn Nets overcame a very rocky offseason to emerge as one of the top title contenders in the NBA. They were beleaguered by trade rumors surrounding their two best players in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving all offseason long. But the Nets managed to hold onto both players, and that instantly gives them a shot to make some noise this season.
While Brooklyn was in the news for all the wrong reasons with their trade rumors, what many folks didn't notice is that they rebuilt their rotation around these two stars while everyone was focusing on the potential trades. The Nets had no help for Durant and Irving last season, and they were quickly swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
That shouldn't be the case this season, and it will be interesting to see how the Nets look in their return to the court this season. While they look dangerous on paper, if they want to truly be championship contenders, they are going to need this X-factor to step up and help out in a big way this season. Let's identify this player and see why they are so important to their team's success this upcoming season.
Nets X-factor: Ben Simmons
The Nets trio of Durant, Irving, and James Harden came crashing down in spectacular fashion last season once Harden forced his way onto the Philadelphia 76ers. In return for Harden, though, the Nets were able to land Ben Simmons, who has the potential to be just as good as Harden was during his short stint with the Nets.
The last year and a half for Simmons has been interesting to say the least. He completely fell apart in the 76ers 2020 Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, which culminated with him passing up a wide open layup in Game 7 of the series.
Simmons gradually began working on forcing his way off the 76ers, and didn't take the court for them at all last season. His highly publicized trade request was officially granted when Philadelphia landed Harden in return, meaning that he was sent to Brooklyn to team up with Durant and Irving.
The problem was that Simmons was dealing with a back injury all along, and ultimately never ended up playing for the Nets last season. That didn't help the Nets late season struggles, but the good news is that Simmons is finally ready to go for the upcoming campaign, and it will be interesting to see how he looks on the court after missing the entire 2021-22 season.
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The Nets beefed up their depth this offseason, but it's clear Simmons could be the difference between a successful season and a losing season for Brooklyn. The Nets were banking on Simmons returning for the playoffs last season, and while that hope was a bit far-fetched, it was clear they could have used him in their short series with the Celtics.
Durant and Irving have the ability to keep Brooklyn in every game, but in order for them to actually win, they are going to need more help. They have solid depth on their bench, but Simmons has the ability to push them over the top. When he's at the top of his game, there isn't a player like Simmons in this league, and his skillset is exactly what Brooklyn needs.
The Nets can run their offense through Durant and Irving, but they don't have a facilitator on their roster that can get others involved. Simmons can be that guy. Brooklyn also didn't have anyone to guard top tier wings such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown last season. Simmons can be that guy as well.
The two biggest holes on the Nets roster last season could be solved by Simmons if he returns to the court and actually performs. Simmons has the potential to be a nightly triple-double threat when he's in form, but whether he will actually be able to reach that form remains to be seen. After all, he hasn't played in over a year, and the last time we saw him on the court, he didn't exactly look like the best version of himself.
What version the Nets get of Simmons could play a deciding factor in determining how far they go this season. If he shows up, the Nets might have the best roster in the entire NBA. But if he doesn't, Brooklyn will have the same holes on their team that existed last season.
It's rare that one player could impact his team in such a big way, but Ben Simmons has the potential to make or break the Nets season, and it will be interesting to see how the upcoming campaign plays out for him and his new team.
