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Former NBA head coach Rick Pitino sees the Brooklyn Nets as championship contenders with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving re-committing, and he likes the fact that they have a Draymond Green on their roster.
Pitino, who coached the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics before and has now taken over Iona College, shared how he sees Ben Simmons as a Draymond-like player who can pass and defend. For him, the presence of the Australian guard complements the superstar duo and makes them more lethal–just how like it is in the Golden State Warriors with Dray, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
“They’re [KD and Kyrie] two of the most explosive offensive basketball players there are in the NBA and if Simmons is healthy, he's an outstanding play-maker and he’s a great defensive player. So that’s a great team …” Pitino said, per NJ.com.
“Every team needs a Draymond Green and I think Simmons probably will serve that role. He’s the play-maker, he’s the defensive player.”
It's not hard to see the comparison, especially since Ben Simmons is indeed a good defender who can make plays. Besides, he is a point-forward largely compared to LeBron James in years past.
One can even say that Simmons is a better player offensively despite his lack of shooting. However, the thing is, there are other aspects that Draymond brings and Ben doesn't. Green is a proven leader and glue guy, while Simmons' reputation in that area hasn't really been great.
Still, if there is a team that could really be exciting and fun to watch in 2022-23, it's the Nets and their own version of Big 3.
