New Report Lays Out The Next Steps For The Brooklyn Nets And Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons is having a no good, very bad time of things with the Brooklyn Nets.

Simmons, who is in his first (playing) season in Brooklyn after sitting out the entire 2021-22 season, is averaging career lows in points (7.0), assists (6.1) and rebounds (6.1).

It’s gotten so bad that even Nets coach Jacque Vaughn ran down Simmons in a postgame press conference on Monday night.

“It’s going to be some work that we have to do,” Vaughn said of how to use Simmons after a 124-106 loss to the New York Knicks. “Because, you just take a look at what the lineups could potentially look like. 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. Then, if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him?”

But Vaughn is going to have to figure it out, because Simmons still has two years and nearly $80 million left on his contract.

Brooklyn, understandably, is hoping to get out from under that deal as they look to continue to rebuild.

Brooklyn Nets Hoping To Trade Ben Simmons In The Offseason

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports that the Nets are likely to try to ship Simmons out at some point after the 2022-23 season.

“What becomes of Simmons and the final two years and nearly $80 million remaining on his contract after this season is of course another dynamic to monitor in Brooklyn. The Nets are widely expected to gauge what trade market could materialize for Simmons after his disappointing campaign comes to a close. The three-time All-Star is still far from the form he exhibited during his best days in Philadelphia.”

Of course, between his struggles on the court his albatross of a contract, that may not be all that easy. After trading away James Harden to acquire Simmons (as well as draft picks, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond), Brooklyn is highly unlikely to recoup that value.

NBA fans were keenly aware of this face as well.

But hey, there’s a sucker born every day. Maybe Sean Marks should ring up the Washington Wizards?