How Ben Simmons Destroyed the Nets (and Sixers)

I' m no NBA insider or anything like that, so take what I say with a grain of salt.  I just base my conclusions on like how human beings naturally respond type shit.

Say what you want about KD leaving the Thunder to join the Warriors back in the day, but he did so as a free agent.  He didn't force himself off the team, but still, Westbrook caught feelings.

Around that same time or a little bit earlier, LBJ left the Heat, once again as a free agent.  And how the story is told is that D-Wade and them caught feelings.  No one seems to really care when the best player on a garbage team bounces.  But when the squad are contenders and something like that happens, it's like watching a championship trophy grow legs and walk out the door.  So how much more painful is it when you're a contender, and you star player actually forces his way off the team?

The first time I remember that happening is with the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard back around 2017 or so.  The Spurs haven't been the same since.  Then he left the Raptors, though as a free agent, and it's like, I mean it's all a matter of perspective.  If you're content with someone who has like no loyalty to your city coming in for one season to help you win a championship and then leaving immediately after, then so be it.

Back in "the Process" era, Sam Hinkie came under a lot of criticism, in part because over half of his picks didn't even pan as well as he thought.  But by the time he left Philly, they were in firm position to proceed towards a championship.  He at least got the pairing of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons right, and the team had a whole bunch of other capital to go about assembling a contender.  This was before Jimmy Butler, during Jimmy Butler and after Jimmy Butler.  But all of that fell apart when Simmons decided he was no longer going to play.

Well actually, it wasn't totally his fault.  The Sixers had some good deals on the table but really shot themselves in the foot when they not only gave up Simmons but also two quality role players for the Beard.  I'm pro-Beard.  But that was just a bad roster decision (not to mention the further acquisition of PJ Tucker), especially when they could have went after someone like Sabonis or Lillard, unless the goal is to sell tickets more than it is winning.  So now in hindsight, unless Tyrese Maxey suddenly turns into Ja Morant or some shit, Simmons leaving was the end of an era.

And now, that brings us to the Nets.  Like I said before, Brooklyn getting Simmons, Curry and Drummond for Harden was a masterful move - if Ben Simmons actually plays.  If he had forced himself to get into playing shape before the Playoffs, the Nets would have had a chance.  But the roster is not built so that it would flourish with KD or Kyrie or running the point.  To be totally honest, it wasn't even built like that with Harden.  And they could have also used his exceptional perimeter defense, obviously.  You can dog Ben Simmons all you want for not shooting, but that's exactly the type of non-scoring, general-utility player you need on a team with KD and Kyrie.

And you know, I would really love to see KD, Kyrie and Simmons take the floor together.  To me, the current Nets roster is probably the second best in the East.  But KD is probably saying to himself right now, like who knows if or when Simmons will play anyway?  To this day people are still on Kyrie's ass for not getting vaccinated and missing games last season (like it would have made a difference).  But at least the team knew he would play if he could and would then plan accordingly.  With Ben Simmons on your roster, like you can't even make concrete plans at all.

CONCLUSION

I'm no little kid sitting behind a television imaging to myself that playing in the NBA is some type of dream job.  If someone has the opportunity to play in the NBA but decides not to, fuck it, more power to them.  But I would argue that what Simmons is doing isn't right.  Like I said before, either play or quit, because this isn't some benchwarmer we're talking about here.  And it's only him right now, you know, if he actually has decided to play next season, who can perhaps convince KD and Kyrie to stick around chillout.  You know what I mean?  Like post some workouts videos or play in a pro-am or some shit.  Or, just give it rest already.