To say Brooklyn Nets point forward Ben Simmons isn’t the same player he was with the Philadelphia 76ers would be an understatement. Once considered a surefire All-Star and one of the top defensive players in the NBA, the former No. 1 overall pick is now merely a reserve.
The new-look Nets find themselves with a surplus of talented wing defenders after trading away guard Kyrie Irving and forward Kevin Durant, potentially leaving Simmons as the odd man out. Since returning from a knee injury, Simmons has not started for the Nets.
In Monday’s 124-106 loss to the Knicks, Simmons logged 13 minutes, the second-lowest he has played this season, finishing with two points, three rebounds and two assists.
Simmons was relegated to the bench in the fourth quarter, the apparent new norm. Over his last five games, he has averaged 3.63 fourth-quarter minutes.
Brooklyn’s loss snapped its nine-game winning streak against New York, and it was the first time the Knicks have beaten Simmons.
After the game, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn acknowledged the difficulty of finding the right lineup to insert Simmons into, given his lack of ability, or interest, in scoring. Vaughn intends to keep experimenting with different lineups.
“Trying to figure out what lineup fits around Ben, what position fits for Ben, how we can make him look good at every opportunity, that’s the goal, Vaughn told reporters. “I’m still trying to figure it out. That’s on me.”
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