The Brooklyn Nets faced another disheartening loss on Monday, falling 124-106 to their New York rivals, the Knicks.
The Nets featured all of their stars, including Ben Simmons, who came off the bench for just 12 minutes and 41 seconds.
During that time, he scored 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
You don’t have to be an NBA expert to know those aren’t stunning numbers.
Following the game, head coach Jacque Vaughn got honest about the predicament the team is in with Simmons.
Jacque Vaughn explains the challenges of playing Ben
“You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then, if you put another playmaker next to him,then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball.”
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— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) February 14, 2023
Vaughn said:
“You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then, if you put another playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball.”
You can understand what Vaughn is saying if you have watched the Nets play this season.
Simmons is a unique and peculiar player.
He certainly isn’t much of a scorer and is more required for his assists and rebounds.
However, he hasn’t even been doing very well with those this season either.
His 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the season are career lows, showing that he isn’t producing well on any part of the floor.
But the Nets aren’t sure what to do with him.
He can’t score very well and his points aren’t as strong this season, leaving Vaughn unclear on what the next steps for Simmons should be.
The team is now without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, meaning that Simmons could be the centerpiece of the team.
But that won’t happen unless he ups his game and Vaughn figures out what place he has in the lineup.
All season long, fans have complained about Simmons and his lack of impact on the court.
The less certainty that revolves around him, the less he can help the team.
It’s time the Nets finally decide what they want out of Simmons – and then demand it from him.
NEXT: James Harden Gets Honest About His Time With The Nets
