NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The big trade is finally done. The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers pulled off what many figured would be done when they traded James Harden for Ben Simmons. Yes, other players were involved such as Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and Paul Millsap but the focal point is still Simmons and Harden. Despite the cheers from both sides, it’s the Nets who will be under the microscope more.
The Nets are gaining a three-time All-Star and All-NBA defender in Simmons but they’re also losing one headache for another. Can Simmons actually be trusted?
Say what you want regarding Harden. Talk about his weight, his non-defensive playing style, and his shot selection. Harden is still a baller willing to risk it all with the game on the line. Simmons, on the other hand, well, that’s the reason Philly fans turned on him. He’s the exact opposite of Harden.
Both the 76ers and Nets are in win-now mode. Maybe more for the Nets. They have two superstar players in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and adding Simmons will make them more dangerous. But what happens when the game gets tight in the 4th and Simmons decides to vanish? Harden, despite his flaws, will take the shots. While he may miss the clutch jumpers, he’s still willing to take them. Simmons has proven during his career that he will defer those situations to others. I mean, being a great teammate is one thing but running from the big moment, well that’s something different.
We can throw all the stats we want to into this article and that means nothing. Simmons to the Nets is more of an eye test than anything. Fans watched nationally as he basically quit on his team in the playoffs then watched as he turned his back on them. He and his team can throw shade at Joel Embiid, Doc Rivers, and Daryl Morey all they want. But in the end, it was Simmons who put the final nail in his own coffin in Philly.
This offseason, Simmons and his camp requested a trade as they felt as if the organization and his teammates didn’t have his back. It was stated that Simmons wanted a new team where he could be the focal point. Well, sorry to tell you Simmons but that will not be the case in Brooklyn. You’re now playing with two players who have rings and have been in the big spotlight.
“League sources say the primary motivation for Klutch Sports’ aggressive holdout is to steer him to a team built around him on offense. No matter the roster makeup in Philly, he will only ever be no. 2 as long as Embiid is healthy.”
If he thinks the lights were shining bright on him in Philly, he has no idea what he’s about to encounter in the Big Apple. NYC Media is nothing to play with. They will praise you one minute and crucify you the next. Is Ben Simmons built for that? The minute he has a bad game, they will come for him.
He wanted to be the No.1 option, now he’s No. 3. Where was the upgrade in that? Seth Curry is a respected player in this league and with him joining Simmons in Brooklyn, do we really think Irving and Durant won’t ask him about the real Simmons?
He’s a great playmaker and defender but he’s not that tough mentally as a player. Now he’s expected to win. He wanted out, got his wish, and now he has to perform. If he fails, his stock will continue to drop. The potential is there but can the Brooklyn Nets truly trust Ben Simmons?
