The era of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving is no longer, as the Brooklyn Nets have officially moved on and are preparing for a new look 2023-24 NBA season. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson are now the young faces of the franchise, with plenty of other notable names such as Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith rounding out this roster. However, the biggest question mark in Brooklyn, and perhaps the entire NBA, revolves around three-time All-Star Ben Simmons.
Drafted first overall in 2016 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons immediately made his presence felt as one of the better two-way players in the league. Well on the path to become a recurring name on the All-NBA list, Simmons then dealt with some back issues and everything began to fall apart for him mentally. As he prepares for the 2023-24 season with the Nets, Simmons is facing a scenario where this may very well be his last chance to prove himself.
The good news for Brooklyn and their former All-Star is that he appears to be healthy and is taking the court for the first time since February 15.
On Monday night, the Nets played their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Simmons suited up to take on the Lakers and he logged 14 total minutes, all of which he showed positive signs in. Despite his short stint on the court in this game, Simmons recorded 10 points on 4-6 shooting, plus he also had three assists and a steal.
After having to deal with the mental and physical strain of working himself back, this performance was definitely everything the Nets could have hoped for. He played his role, he didn't seem bothered by any injuries, and most importantly, Simmons looked confident again for the first time in forever.
Takeaways from Ben Simmons' preseason debut
For being limited to only 42 games a season ago due to injuries and after not playing at all during the 2021-22 season, Ben Simmons raised eyebrows with his performance on Monday night. The Nets may have lost their preseason opener 129-126 to Los Angeles, but getting Simmons back out on the floor and building his confidence up is a massive win for this franchise.
Whether Nets fans want Simmons or not, he is not going anywhere due to his contract. This why fixing the problem at hand is the only thing Brooklyn can do. Simply having the former All-Star back out on the court and looking to play aggressive is a very productive step in the right direction.
In the 14 minutes he logged, Simmons looked comfortable, he played at his pace, and he was not limited in any way. After the game, the 27-year-old discussed how it felt being able to take the court with his teammates once more after battling through adversity all throughout the offseason.
“[It felt] amazing. That’s really it, just amazing. Happy to be out there, and compete, and feel good out there and able to contribute like I know how I can,” Simmons told reporters. “It’s the best in two years for sure. Definitely.”
All summer long, Simmons has echoed his clean bill of health and made it clear that he has experienced no limitations in his game during practices and workouts. Being able to showcase this in preseason action and prove to his doubters that he can still play is a huge step towards success.
Unlike how he has played in past years, Simmons was looking to score when the opportunity presented itself against the Lakers and he was really trying his best to get his teammates involved. What makes him unique is his passing and playmaking abilities for a near 7-footer, as very few players are actually able to keep the former first overall pick in front of them. Now that he is healthy and has confidence in his game again, Simmons is even tougher to stop when he gets going towards the rim.
“I've known how I've felt for a while now and I've worked really hard to put myself in this position. I know I am ready, I am more than ready to be here and compete and help this team win,” Simmons continued. “I'm just blessed to be able to come out here and play at a high level. It's exciting. I get to play in the NBA, you know? It's a great job.”
As far as a minutes restriction goes, Simmons pointed out that he played the same amount of time as the rest of the Nets' starters and that it was the coaching staff's decision to not let him or any of the other prominent names play longer than they did. There is no telling as to if Simmons will face a minutes restriction entering the new season.
Everyone within the Nets organization was just happy to see Ben back out on the floor and doing what he loves, especially after all the work he has put in through the months to get to this point. Dealing with injuries takes a toll on any player's mentality and from head coach Jacque Vaughn's perspective, everything Simmons did during Monday night's game was fantastic.
“He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game. Really good to see,” coach Jacque Vaughn said, via Brian Lewis from the New York Post. “So, some really good minutes.”
Overall, this preseason debut for Simmons was everything the Nets could have hoped for. Now, their focus is on what his role will look like heading into the new season and how he can help them get back to the postseason.
Ben Simmons' role with Nets during 2023-24 season
Throughout the offseason, Ben Simmons has talked about how he feels 100 percent and is ready to make an impact with the Nets. He's also made it clear that he intends on being the team's starting point guard.
“Point guard. That’s who I am,” Simmons told Marc J. Spears from ESPN's Andscape a few weeks back. “As much as people say, ‘Fix this, fix that.’ No, I’m a point guard. When I was playing at that [high] level, nobody was really saying anything to me.”
Prior to joining Brooklyn, Simmons excelled in his role as the 76ers primary facilitator, as he averaged 7.7 assists per game in Philadelphia. Even in his short stint with the Nets last season, Simmons still produced for others when he had the ball, averaging 6.1 assists per game.
By utilizing him as their point guard, the Nets can have veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie play off the ball more, Mikal Bridges won't have to always handle the ball-handling duties, and Cam Thomas can enter the game to make a difference as a scorer off the bench.
Simmons starting at point guard seems like the most likely option for the Nets and Vaughn gave his opinion on the matter during the team's media day last week.
“I would use the word agreement more so than commitment,” Vaughn said, via ClutchPoints' Erik Slater. “The agreement is if he's playing at a consistently high level then I think our pictures look exactly the same.”
All indications point towards Simmons regaining some of the sparks he had a few years ago, which is good news for the Nets. If he can regain any of the All-Star flame that he had with the 76ers, this organization can immediately turn themselves back into a threat in the Eastern Conference.
Simmons is the key to success for the Nets, especially if he can be an impactful two-way presence. Now that he is healthy from both a physical and mental standpoint, the only thing standing in the way of the former first overall pick finding greatness once again is himself.
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