The Brooklyn Nets are crafting a new identity in 2023-24. After years as an isolation-heavy, offensive team led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn enters this season with a revamped roster centered on size, athleticism and versatility.

Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton headline that philosophical shift. The pair of near seven-footers will anchor a Nets defensive unit that hopes to be one of the best in the league. However, Simmons and Claxton's offensive fit is cause for concern. Lineups with multiple non-shooters are a rarity in today's NBA, raising questions about the viability of the pairing long-term.

When speaking about his optimism surrounding Simmons and Claxton's fit, head coach Jacque Vaughn recently cited the Golden State Warriors' success with Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, two limited shooters, in their frontcourt. Vaughn elaborated on his Warriors inspiration following Nets practice Monday.

“When you look across the league and you try to see what other teams have been successful doing, Golden State obviously has won championships and at times people thought the units they put out there weren’t conducive to that day’s game of basketball or producing championships,” Vaughn said. “They proved those people otherwise.”

“I’m looking at the strengths, and I think that’s what Golden State did. Look at the strengths of Draymond, look at the strengths of Looney,” Vaughn continued. “Nic and Ben have strengths that they bring to the table and collectively I’m trying to mesh those strengths together and have them play off each other.”

Simmons has long been compared to Green due to his ball-handling, passing, and elite defense as a point-forward, while Claxton and Looney share similar qualities as high-energy, defensive-minded centers.

It must be noted the Warriors have had Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, two of the greatest movement shooters of all time, in their lineup to quell spacing concerns. Green has built a hall-of-fame resume setting up Curry and Thompson on fastbreaks, pick-and-rolls, dribble handoffs, and off-ball screens in Steve Kerr's motion offense.

Simmons is attempting to replicate some level of that success alongside Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, two high-level shooters with defensive versatility. And while Claxton drew praise for his elite defense last season, Brooklyn is high on his offensive capabilities. The 24-year-old made significant strides as a roll-man and self-creator in 2022-23, leading the NBA in field goal percentage.

However, neither Simmons nor Claxton present a floor-spacing threat. Similar to Golden State, that lack of frontcourt shooting means Brooklyn's new-look offense requires one thing above all others: movement.

“I talked about us not being an isolation team, and so we need movement. We need body movement. We need ball movement. We need pace, and Ben provides that for us,” Vaughn said. “I'm looking forward to utilizing the strengths of this team, taking advantage of them, and creating a cohesiveness where we understand how to get each other open and play together.”

Vaughn has admitted Simmons and Claxton's fit in Brooklyn's offense is a work in progress. However, he's made it clear that his team is focusing on the advantages the pairing presents, just as Golden State has with Green and Looney.

“Ben has the ability to be a primary or secondary handler like Draymond then the next thing you know he’s giving dribble handoffs uphill or downhill and the defense is reacting,” he said. “Nic has the ability to even be more of a threat at the rim for us, a defensive cog for us like Looney was with that group. So that’s where the comparison was.”

“I think Golden State looked at it as a positive and we’re trying to do the same thing.”