The time has come for Ben Simmons to put up or shut up for the Brooklyn Nets.
For months, people have been wondering aloud (quite loudly, in fact) if Simmons will be an essential part of the team in the new season.
He is an All-Star player who hit a rough patch so there were plenty of fans suggesting that he would come back better than ever with a massive chip on his shoulder.
Others claimed that Simmons would never perform as promised and was a washed-up has-been.
Ben Simmons screens and short rolls with the right-handed lob. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. pic.twitter.com/ecuj9oZxf3
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) October 13, 2022
It’s too soon to tell but Simmons has definitely been showing some signs of greatness in the preseason.
He’s had his rough patches too, to be fair, but the good has outweighed the bad at times.
On Wednesday night, Simmons was part of a smooth, smart, seemingly effortless screen setup that resulted in two points for his team.
This was an example of Simmons using his size and his skill well.
It was also a great chance to see him sync up with the rest of his crew.
This was definitely good news for fans of the Nets.
The Smoothness Of Simmons
Watching Simmons perform as he did on Wednesday shows that the man has a basketball IQ that doesn’t get talked about enough.
He was able to read his teammates, his opponents, and the options before him.
He was a focal part of that play and seemed very engaged.
All of this pushes back against the narrative that Simmons is aloof and not interested in the rest of his team.
Fans of the Nets want to root for Simmons, they want him to be the sort of player he swears he can be.
But they don’t want to get their hopes up and get burned.
If Simmons continues to play as he did Wednesday, both he and Brooklyn fans will be happy.
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