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As the Los Angeles Clippers face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, fans are wondering how Ben Simmons will play with the rest of the team. Clippers head coach Ty Lue spoke about Simmons' role with the team, which garnered a drastic response from Stephen A. Smith.
Lue would say that Simmons should be more aggressive in scoring the ball, as when Smith was asked about that on ESPN's “First Take,” he would go as far as to say that the 28-year-old is “stealing money.”
“The fact that Ty Lue said what he said is just more evidence that Ben Simmons has been stealing money,” Smith said. “You have to ask a professional basketball player, getting paid the money he's getting paid to shoot, and to maximize your potential. Do you understand that when we looked at Ben Simmons with potential, this brother is so special as a talent, but my Lord, what a disappointment, and it's all because of a willingness or lack thereof, as opposed to ability. I have nothing else to say, because I'm not gonna say anything nice.”
“Ben Simmons has been stealing money.” 😅 @stephenasmith on Clippers coach Tyronn Lue asking Ben Simmons to be a “scoring threat” against the Nuggets 👀 pic.twitter.com/lSc2yTX1cC
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 18, 2025
Clippers' Ben Simmons is in “point guard mode too much”
While it isn't the first time the Clippers star is getting targeted at for his disappointment since many believe he had immense talent coming into the NBA as he was the No. 1 oversall pick in 2016. Still, Smith's partner on the panel in former player Danny Granger played with Simmons and took a more calm approach to the subject, saying that he agrees with Lue, even expressing how the player is in “point guard mode too much.”
“I got a chance to play with Ben, I had some great opportunity and career highs in three-point attempts. I just think he's in point guard mode too much,” Granger said. “So yes, he does need to be more aggressive, but he's used to being a point guard, and they don't need that. And you know, it's a mental hump that he needs to get over. But I'm being nice today, I'm not gonna say he's stealing money.”
This would be a point that Smith would agree with, saying that it is a “very nice way to put it.”
“That's a very nice way to put it. He's in point guard mode too much. I gotta remember to use that,” Smith said.
At any rate, Simmons looks to silence the doubters and produce for Los Angeles as Game 1 against the Nuggets will be on Saturday afternoon.
