The Brooklyn Nets entered the past three seasons with championship aspirations led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. That deep playoff run never came to fruition, and following the trades of Durant, Irving and James Harden within one year, Brooklyn is on the outside looking in.
The Nets open this season with the fifth-worst odds to make the Eastern Conference playoffs and an over/under win total of 37.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook. Ben Simmons' play after returning from a back injury is the most significant variable when projecting Brooklyn's finish in 2023-24. And the former number-one pick said the team is opening the season with a collective chip on its shoulder.
Ben Simmons gets real
“I think everybody wants to prove something this year,” Simmons said. “We have a lot of guys who are going to play hard, play team basketball, which is going to be exciting and fun. It’s a fresh start.”
As for himself?
“I feel like you know the answer to that,” he replied. “My goal is simple: Get back to where I was, compete at the highest level, and make an impact in the game. Me, I want to win. That’s all I want to do. That’s the number one priority, winning.”
If you were new to the NBA last season, it would have been nearly impossible to believe Simmons' decorated resume while watching the Nets. In four seasons with Philadelphia, the Aussie earned three All-Star appearances, two All-Defensive First-Team selections, Rookie of the Year and a Third-Team All-NBA nod.
After sitting out the 2021-22 season due to a back injury and mental health issues, Simmons was a shell of his old self while battling a slew of injuries in 2022-23, eventually exiting at the All-Star break. He spent the last eight months running through an intense rehab process for his surgically repaired back, which has shown clear results based on his improved assertiveness and explosiveness during training camp.
Dinwiddie speaks out
The 28-year-old led the NBA in assists this preseason, and Spencer Dinwiddie said Simmons' focus on regaining his All-Star form has been evident.
“There's a lot of people that doubt him and he firmly feels like he's that All-Star, All-NBA, All-Defensvie team guy, and he's coming out to prove it,” Dinwiddie said. “I think he's gonna do that every night, he's gonna lead us to a lot of wins. Like I said, it's really on us to try to match his talent level because he's reached a peak that nobody on our team has reached and played at a higher level than any of us have. And so it's on us to try to be the best possible supporting cast we can.”
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Regarding the rest of the team, Dinwiddie admitted there's a palpable chip on his teammates' shoulders. However, he said it has nothing to do with lowered expectations but rather individual players seeking to earn or validate their place in the league.
“Our chip's a little bit different, though. I won't say our chip has anything to do with the previous team,” he said. “We understand that we don't have championship expectations, but I've also said it many times, losing doesn't do us any good either, and we're not exactly the youngest team in the world. Half our core is 28 to 30, which in basketball range puts you in your prime. We only got till what, 33 to do this at a high level? In that respect, I think everybody's got something to prove.”
“Mikal (Bridges) wants to make an All-Star team, Ben wants to get back to All-NBA, Cam (Johnson) wants to validate his deal, Cam (Thomas) and Day'Ron (Sharp) want to earn rookie extensions. Royce (O'Neale) is an expiring contract and wants to get a deal. Dennis Smith Jr. wants to prove he's one the best backup point guards and defenders in the league and that top five-type guy that people have written him off as. It's on down the line.”
Nets' 2023-24 season outlook
The Nets never had an opportunity to form an identity during a drama-filled 2022-23 season. With Durant and Irving forcing their way out at the deadline and a bevy of new faces entering the mix, Brooklyn's close to the year was a disjointed 30-game stretch with the front office and coaching staff taking notes on their new personnel.
The team has now had a full offseason and training camp to make the roster whole, and head coach Jacque Vaughn said he'll use the chip on his new-look roster's shoulder to his advantage.
“I hope our group is comprised of guys who really want to prove things. Whether that is their existence in the league, whether that is being able to garner more attention in the league,” Vaughn said. “We tried to put a group [together] that was extremely competitive. Usually dudes who are competitive have some sort of chip that they've created or that exists.”
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