Perhaps the Brooklyn Nets can rid themselves of Ben Simmons’ unfavorable contract and gain an asset back in return.

Long thought to be an albatross, there is one destination that can absorb the remaining $78-plus million that he is owed over the next two years from his five-year, $177 million contract and, possibly, get him back to his former All-NBA form.

“Forget all the James Harden nonsense and the [Houston] Rockets‘ intention to start winning games in 2023-24,” wrote Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report on June 25. “using a chunk of its $60 million in cap space to take on a bad contract with picks attached is the better alternative for Houston.”

Nets get:

– Kevin Porter Jr.

Rockets get:

– Ben Simmons
– 2027 1st Rd Pick (via PHI)
– 2026 2nd Rd Pick
– 2028 2nd Rd Pick

The Rockets hired former Nets assistant Ime Udoka to be their next head coach. Udoka, who was also the head coach of the Boston Celtics for one season, was also on the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff when Simmons was still there in 2019-20.

Kevin Porter Jr. Could Provide Unique Value

Porter, 23, entered the league as a first-round pick (No. 30 overall) by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019 NBA Draft but was traded on draft night and then again roughly one week later, eventually spending his first NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had an explosive falling out with team officials leading to his trade to Houston in 2021.

This past season, Porter averaged career-highs with 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals while also dishing out 5.7 assists and shooting 36.6% from beyond the arc.

While his ideal role may be off the ball, he has gotten extensive experience as a lead guard.

Porter is entering the first year of an interestingly structured four-year, $63.4 million contract that is non-guaranteed in the second and third years and has a $15.8 million team option in the final season.

Porter would likely have further value in subsequent deals. But needing to attach a pick to Simmons highlights how far the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft’s value has fallen.

Patty Mills: Ben Simmons ‘Looking Good, Feeling Good’

Simmons, 26, has been viewed as one of the worst contracts in the league over the last couple of seasons. He missed all of the 2021-22 campaign with a back injury and mental health issues then only made 42 appearances this past season before being shut down in March, again due to his balky back.

The former three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive selection averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this past season but could be primed for a bounceback campaign.

“From all accords and from what I’ve heard, he’s looking after his body, and getting into his shape and healthy,” said teammate Patty Mills, per Brian Fleurantin of NetsDaily on June 24. “From what I’ve heard, he’s looking good, feeling good.”

Mills, 34, noted that we will have to “wait and see” about Simmons getting back on the court but his account tracks with reports that Simmons has taken an improved approach to his rehab amid a slew of offseason workout photos. It also follows with Nets general manager Sean Marks saying that Simmons would not need any further procedures to address the issue.

Getting Simmons healthy appears to be the Nets’ only hope of offloading his remaining money without attaching additional assets.

The Brooklyn Nets could have a chance to flip one of the worst contracts in the NBA for the self-proclaimed “greatest big man shooter” in Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

“If the Nets are unable to secure some floor spacing from the 4 or 5 in a more economical fashion, they could send Ben Simmons‘ contract (which expires three years earlier than KAT’s) and a pick or two from the Kevin Durant haul for Towns,” wrote Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report on June 23.”

Nets get:

– Karl-Anthony Towns

Timberwolves get:

– Ben Simmons
– 2025 1st Round Pick (via PHX)
– 2027 1st Round Pick (via PHX)

Towns, 27, averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and a career-high 4.8 assists this past season while shooting 49.5% from the floor and 36.6% from deep. The 6-foot-11 skilled center only made 29 appearances this past season as he dealt with a calf injury. But, at his peak, Towns has averaged 26.5 points (2019-20) and 12.4 rebounds (2018-19) in his career.

He has not been shy about claiming his spot in NBA history, either.

“I’m the greatest big man shooter of all time,” Towns told John Krawczynski of The Athletic on June 16. “That’s a fact. You can see the stats.”

Towns is averaging 23.0 points on 62.3% true shooting while canning 39.5% of his threes so far in a career that has seen him earn three trips to the All-Star game and two All-NBA selections after he won Rookie of the Year in 2015-16.

When asked about the trade rumors, Towns has put the ball firmly in the Timbwerwolves’ court.

“All I’m gonna say on it, the rumors are as true or as false as Minnesota makes them to be,” Towns said on the ‘Pat Bev Podcast with Rone’ on June 14.

Nets Could Take Advantage of Timberwolves’ Finances

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft is heading into the final year of a five-year, $158.2 million contract.

He is starting a four-year, $224 million contract after next season which could reach up to $234 million with incentives which is a big part of why there has been speculation about his future in Minnesota.

“The Timberwolves were paying two centers max money for the foreseeable future,” wrote Krawczynski on June 22. “That has become even more important in recent months when it became clear that the new collective bargaining agreement will make it even harder on teams to sail past the luxury tax.”

Minnesota is currently more than $21 million below the luxury tax threshold, per Spotrac. But, as Krawczynski notes, Anthony Edwards is up for a new contract that will likely put them into the luxury tax. They were the eight-seed this past season losing to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs this season.

Taking on Simmons would add $1.8 million to the Timberwolves’ books for this coming season but would shave in the neighborhood of $190 million from their ledger overall. And, if not this offseason, they can explore this deal next season when Simmons will be on an expiring contract.

Brooklyn is staring down the luxury tax this offseason but has mechanisms to create more space.

Towns can play alongside Nic Claxton — who said he plans to extend his range — or replace him if the Nets move him ahead of unrestricted free agency next summer.

Nets Could Flip Ben Simmons’ Contract

Simmons, 26, was the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 by the Philadelphia 76ers where injuries bookended his tenure. He was traded to the Nets for James Harden at the 2021-22 trade deadline but missed the entire campaign with a back injury and mental health issues.

This past season, he suited up for 42 games averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists but was shut down due to a back injury.

But Brooklyn was 24-18 when Simmons played this past season, even in his diminished state.

Most of that success was thanks to Durant and Kyrie Irving – the Nets were 2-3 with Simmons in the lineup after the trade deadline. However, he is still the only player on the Nets’ roster with an All-Star appearance to his credit (three to be exact). He’s also a two-time All-Defensive pick, a former All-NBA selection, and, like Towns, a former Rookie of the Year.

He is heading into Year 4 of a five-year, $177.2 million contract that has long been thought to require payment (i.e. draft compensation) just to move it.

In this potential scenario, the Nets do that and then some.

The Brooklyn Nets are in an interesting space right now.

On the one hand, they are a team in need of a true superstar, even if Mikal Bridges showed a lot of positives in his brief cameo as the de facto top option.

But getting that star is going to cost, though, especially if the target is Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard according to an anonymous Eastern Conference general manager in a conversation with Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney.

“Portland is looking to move on (from Jusuf Nurkic), and if you are going to have Lillard in a blockbuster kind of trade, you’d like to clear your sheet as much as possible,” the GM tells Heavy Sports. “Put (Nurkic) into a deal and you have some more flexibility in terms of what you’re getting back, and you can get yourself really set up for rebuilding.”

Nets get:

– Damian Lillard
– Jusuf Nurkic

Blazers get:

– Nic Claxton
– Dorian Finney-Smith
– Ben Simmons
– 1st Rd Pick(s)

“Insisting a team take back Nurkic would allow the Blazers to do a trade with the Nets that could land them Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith (who could be traded to a third team), and 24-year-old Nic Claxton, plus draft assets,” Deveney adds.

Lillard, 32, is coming off his best season as a pro averaging career-highs with 32.2 points per game on 64.5% true shooting adding 7.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and nearly 1.0 steals per game.

The seven-time All-Star and All-NBA selection did say he expects to be a Blazer next season.

He has also missed 91 games over the last four seasons including 24 this past season.

Injuries are a concern for Nurkic, 28, too. He posted a 13.3/9.1/2.9 line this past season but has not made more than 56 appearances in any season over the last four seasons. He has added the three-ball to his repertoire, knocking down 36.1% of a career-high 2.3 attempts this past season, and averaged 1.3 blocks per game from 2015 through the 2020 season.

Still, his health matters since the Nets have already talked about needing to add to their frontcourt as it is currently constructed. Third-year big man Day’Ron Sharpe did flash some promise down the stretch, though.

It is also unclear how valuable the draft assets Brooklyn has are since they do not control their own until the 2028 season.

The first-round picks they own all come from teams looking to remain competitive.

Brooklyn is Fast Approaching the Luxury Tax

This deal would add roughly $2.5 million in salary for Brooklyn who enters the offseason $15.6 million below the luxury tax line and with several key decisions to make most notably restricted free agent Cameron Johnson who could command up to $20 million to retain.

Lillard signed a two-year, $122 million contract extension in July 2022 effectively giving him a four-year, $216 million deal while Nurkic is going into Year 2 of a four-year, $70 million pact.

The Blazers’ duo has over $270 million combined coming to them over the life of their contracts.

Simmons, 26, appeared in just 42 games this past season averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. He is on a four-year, $177 million contract and still due more than $78 million over the next two seasons with no outs either via team or player option so Brooklyn’s best bet has long been thought to get him healthy and simply go from there.

Likewise, Finney-Smith has been the subject of trade rumors

The Nets are expected to move at least one of him or fellow veteran wing Royce O’Neale this offseason in part to alleviate some of their cap concerns as they prioritize Johnson.

Nets Don’t Have to Add Claxton

Claxton, 24, is a sweetener and replacement for Nurkic in this deal, not a financial necessity to satisfy league rules. The former No. 31 overall pick enjoyed a breakout 2023 campaign, leading the NBA in field goal percentage and finishing tied for second in blocks per game. He averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this past season with 2.5 blocks and 0.9 steals.

All of those were career-high marks.

He’s also still on the books at a team-friendly (relative to his production) $8.7 million salary in 2023-24, though he is going into the final year of a two-year, $17.2 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after next season.

There was a report from SportsNet New York’s Ian Begley that the Toronto Raptors had an interest in Claxton in trade talks at this year’s deadline.

The Nets were linked to both OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam at the time. If Brooklyn can manufacture any way around adding Claxton to this deal, they should push for it in hopes of keeping enough of the younger core around Lillard that they don’t crater when he is out or when he eventually calls it a career.

After yet another injury-shortened season, Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons is attacking his offseason rehab with a renewed level of intensity. But, for all of the positive takes coming from that intensity, he can’t escape his reputation.

The three-time All-Star tried to show off some of that progress in an Instagram story that found its way to Twitter where roasting ensued.

Simmons appeared in just 42 games this past season averaging career lows of 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. He also missed the entire 2021-22 campaign with myriad issues and had his rookie season wiped out leading to a reputation as being injury-prone even before he became passive offensively.

He spoke on his rehab amid speculation he might suit up for the Australian National Team.

“I’m currently rehabilitating my back injury and putting my full effort and focus towards that,” Simmons said, per James McKern of The Herald Sun on May 6.

Simmons is roughly 13 months removed from having a microdiscectomy on his back which typically takes up to 18 months to recover from. He has not suffered any setbacks since being shut down with back soreness on March 28 but general manager Sean Marks will be cautious.

While both Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton came close this past season, Simmons remains the only player on the roster with an All-Star appearance or season-long accolade to his credit.

He’s also owed more than $78 million over the next two years so Brooklyn needs a bounceback.

Nets Have to Ride Out Ben Simmons’ Contract

That contract is exorbitant for the version of Simmons that took the floor last season. Despite flashing the ability that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, he often lacked “force” when he was on the floor, much to the chagrin of head coach Jacque Vaughn.

“I’ve been in this position,” wrote John Hollinger of The Athletic on May 4. “There is really no other option than to ride it out, because…what’s the alternative? Having $37 million in dead money (or $12 million in stretched money) on the cap each year, just so you can fill that roster spot with a minimum guy who might not even be any better?”

Some trade proposals for the 26-year-old Aussie have borne that out with suggested offers as low as second-round picks and salary cap relief.

The good news is it sounds like Simmons could be poised to prove his critics wrong.

“The group around Ben has noticed a complete change in Ben’s focus and mentality [through] this rehab and how he has attacked it and engaged with everything,” reported Brian Lewis of The New York Post on May 17.

Healthy Ben Simmons Could Unlock Nets’ Lineup

Bridges showed well as a primary scoring option, though his ability to create for others is a self-admitted next step in his development. Simmons offers that in spades if he can come back healthy.

At his peak, he averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists with 1.4 steals per game (2018-19) and led the league with 2.1 steals per game in 2019-20. Of course, that was four seasons ago now, and even then he only made 57 appearances followed by 58 appearances in 2020-21.

Still, a return of that version of Simmons would be a boon for Brooklyn.

One of the thinnest positions on the Brooklyn Nets roster this past season was power forward.

Even before their mini-teardown at the trade deadline, Brooklyn was allocating minutes at the 4 to wings players. Despite the NBA’s shift to smaller players and an abundance of wings like Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith who fit that mold, Brooklyn’s lack of size showed up most prominently in their 29th-ranked rebounding rate.

Enter Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins (potentially).

Nets get:

– John Collins

Hawks get:

– Joe Harris
– Patty Mills

“After years of a declining role and production, it’s finally time Collins leaves Atlanta,” wrote Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report on June 1. “Collins, 25, becomes a building block in Brooklyn, able to start at power forward or come off the bench at either post position.”

With Collins owed over $78 million over the next two seasons – the remainder of a five-year, $125 million deal – bringing him off the bench would be less than ideal.

His minutes at center for the Hawks were not great this past season, either.

Collins is coming off arguably his worst season as a pro averaging 13.1 points, a career-low 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks. His efficiency cratered with the big man shooting 50.8% from the floor and 29.2% from beyond the arc, both career-low marks. But, at his best in the 2019-20 season, Collins averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 boards, 1.6 blocks, and 1.5 assists.

That was four years and one gruesome finger injury ago. Brooklyn would have to ask themselves if they want to take on another potential albatross of a contract with Ben Simmons, 26, still on the roster and yet to return to his peak form.

Nets Have Previous Known Interest in John Collins

Brooklyn has been linked to Collins in the past having explored a deal for him last season to no avail and is said to still be intrigued, per an anonymous NBA executive in a conversation with Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney.

“The Nets want some guys who can score, and (Collins) can score,” the exec told Heavy Sports. “They had interest there even before they blew up the team, they’re still curious.”

Collins is certainly an impressive athlete.

Previous reports have named Simmons, Finney-Smith, and Royce O’Neale as pieces the Hawks could potentially have an interest in.

Those deals also called for the Nets to potentially take on Bogdan Bogdanovic and his four-year, $68 million contract which could make the Nets balk since they are already in line to be in the luxury tax if they retain Johnson, a restricted free agent. Further moves will be needed unless ownership is fine paying up for a team that falls short of being a title contender.

This potential deal would shave roughly $1.4 million off their bottom line while unloading a pair of players unlikely to factor into their long-term plans like Collins could. But it takes at least two teams to complete a trade.

Nets and Hawks Could Have Very Different Plans

Harris, 31, is still one of the most lethal shooters in the game, knocking down 42.6% of his threes during the regular season. He is entering the final year of a four-year, $75 million pact that Brooklyn has tried to move before.

Mills, 34, is going into the final year of a two-year, $13.2 million contract.

He averaged 6.2 points, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 rebounds but is in a similar situation as Harris – aging veterans on a team still choosing its next path which could include standing pat.

Atlanta has taken a similar ambivalent approach to Collins’ future, insisting upon his value to them despite constant trade rumors. If the two sides were to agree on this deal, it could help the Hawks more now but the Nets more in the long run with a potential starting lineup of Collins, a healthy Simmons, Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Nic Claxton offering intriguing versatility.

After the season he just had with the Brooklyn Nets, former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons does not have much trade value around the NBA, if at all. The Nets could get rid of him, but it would cost them an asset. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would dump his contract on the Houston Rockets, though it would cost them an asset.

Swartz’s trade consisted of the following.

Houston Rockets Receive: Simmons, 2025 first-round pick (unprotected via Phoenix Suns)

Brooklyn Nets Receive: 2029 second-round pick

Swartz explained why the Rockets could agree to such a deal.

“While Houston could chase certain bearded free agents, they could also use the money to take on bad contracts with draft incentives attached.

“Enter Simmons, who fits this roster as a pass-first point guard who can defend multiple positions. Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Jabari Smith Jr. and company can still get their shots up, as Simmons has seemed perfectly content deferring to others.”

He also added the real sweetener to the deal on the Rockets’ end.

The Rockets also get an unprotected first-round pick from Phoenix, one that could turn out to be quite valuable given Chris Paul (38) and Kevin Durant’s (34) ages.

Though the Rockets have the cap space to absorb Simmons, all indications are they will try to lure all-star free agents like James Harden.

Markelle Fultz Opens Up About Time With Sixers

While talking with The Players’ Tribune, former Sixers’ no. 1 pick Markelle Fultz reflected on playing for the Sixers. Fultz made it clear he was grateful for them and his time there but wished they would have waited a little longer before deciding to trade him.

“It was a weird situation,” Fultz said. “I wish I had a chance to help them because I really feel like I could’ve helped them win if they were patient and let me get healthy, but, at the same time, I’m thankful for everything that they did for me, and everything worked out good,” Fultz said.

A shoulder injury early on in his rookie season set the course for an odd tenure with the Sixers, where he played only 33 games in the season and a half he played for them before being traded to the Orlando Magic at the NBA Trade Deadline.

Seth Curry Named as Possible Free Agent Target

Rich Hofmann of The Athletic named five players as possible free-agent targets for the Sixers. Among them was former Sixers sharpshooter Seth Curry, who Hofmann believes could be attainable but only if he accepts a discount.

“If he’s gettable at a cheaper price, Seth Curry is someone who the Sixers also could look to bring back as a bench option. We know he’s capable of running pick-and-rolls with Embiid,” Hofmann wrote.

Curry would bring some much-needed shooting to the Sixers’ bench, as he is a career 43.5% shooter from three. While there are multiple free agents out there who could help them in that department, what makes Curry stand out is his previous experience with the team, as he played for the Sixers from 2020 to 2022.

How much do the Brooklyn Nets want to be free of the burden that the most recent version of Ben Simmons proved to be down the stretch of last season?

The cost to do so could be enough to make even the most pro-active front office blush.

“No team has more cap space than the Rockets this offseason,” wrote Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report on June 1. “While Houston could chase certain bearded free agents, they could also use the money to take on bad contracts with draft incentives attached.”

Nets get:

– 2029 2nd Rd Pick

Rockets get:

– Ben Simmons
– 2025 1st Rd Pick (via PHX)

Simmons has more than $78 million owed to him over the next two seasons with no outs as he finishes a five-year, $177 million contract. He is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive selection but also only appeared in 42 games during the regular season, all of which came before the All-Star break.

The 26-year-old Simmons averaged career lows with 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, though his 56.6% shooting mark from the floor was the second-highest of his career.

Nets Waiting for Ben Simmons to Get Healthy

Simmons is a two-way force at his peak but that has been a rare occurrence since he entered the league in 2016 with a foot injury that cost him his entire rookie season.

After missing the entire 2021-22 campaign with back and mental health issues, he had this year cut short by injury as well. But he is progressing well and showing renewed vigor in his latest rehab stint.

“The group around Ben has noticed a complete change in Ben’s focus and mentality [through] this rehab and how he has attacked it and engaged with everything,” reported Brian Lewis of The New York Post on May 17.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has noted multiple times that Simmons is not expected to need another surgery while not putting a real timeline on a return.

The expectation remains that he will be ready for next season and the Hawks could use what he brings to the table.

“Simmons…fits this roster as a pass-first point guard who can defend multiple positions,” Swarts writes of the former Philadelphia 76ers’ fit with the Rockets who have a new head coach in Ime Udoka, an assistant in Philly in 2019-20.

That would be perfect for a Nets’ roster with plenty of play-finishers and no true playmakers.

Nets Have ‘No Other Option’ With Ben Simmons

The Nets would be giving up one of the first-round picks they got back in the Kevin Durant trade, an asset they’d surely like to use to add talent to the roster.

But they would also be moving on from Simmons when his value is at its lowest.

“I’ve been in this position,” wrote former NBA executive John Hollinger of The Athletic on May 4. “There is really no other option than to ride it out, because a) the possibility of using the contract as matching salary in a trade is just too valuable to pass up, and b) I mean, what’s the alternative?”

If the Nets’ only avenue for relief from Simmons’ contract – and potential luxury tax implications pending this offseason’s moves – is this deal, they certainly might be better off just riding it out until he is healthy enough to contribute.

If Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons was being honest about appreciating being called out when it is warranted, then his team may find the locker room fit with Philadelphia 76ers forward Georges Niang, 29, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer. With the firing of head coach Doc Rivers, Niang could be on the move.

He is finishing a two-year, $6.8 million contract and could be in the Nets’ price range.

“With the $5 million taxpayer MLE likely to be their top spending tool, it won’t be easy for the Nets to address their scoring needs,” wrote Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report on May 27 identifying ‘ambitious’ free agent targets for every team. “Niang might be as good as it gets.”

Niang averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists for Philly during the regular season while canning 40% of his threes or better for the sixth consecutive year.

He had a reduced role in the postseason but still sunk over 46% of his triples. The potential issue could be that Niang’s brand of criticism wasn’t exactly trying to light a fire under the mercurial Simmons, as much as point to him as an underlying cause of the Sixers’ dysfunction during the latter’s tenure.

“Ben Simmons kind of handicapped us at the beginning of last year,” Niang said on the ‘John Kincaide Show’ on 97.5 The Fan on February 24. “Last year was difficult because you didn’t know who you had.”

Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 campaign with a back injury and mental health issues.

He was traded along with Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and a pair of first-round picks for James Harden and Paul Millsap in February of 2022.

“I like to be called out,” Simmons said via YES Network following the Nets’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on December 23. “Especially when I’m not contributing to helping the team win. So, for me, I want to be able to improve in certain areas to help this team.”

Simmons averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while appearing in 42 games before being shut down with back inflammation, which was always possible in his recovery. Niang did list all the things the Sixers missed with Simmons sidelined, things the Nets need going into next season.

“You have to figure it out where other role players have to step up and replace the passing, dribbling rebounding, defense,” Niang said.

Ben Simmons Potentially Turning New Leaf

Brooklyn has Simmons under contract for the next two seasons with more than $78 million owed to him. And, with little in the way of impactful production over the last two years, it is unlikely that they will be able to flip his contract without attaching additional assets such as first-round picks.

The good news is that it appears Simmons, 26, has been more dedicated side during his rehab.

“The group around Ben has noticed a complete change in Ben’s focus and mentality [through] this rehab and how he has attacked it and engaged with everything,” reported Brian Lewis of The New York Post on May 17.

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. also vouched for Simmons’ timeline having undergone a similar procedure.

If the Nets can get Simmons back to full strength, it could elevate this group’s ceiling.

A Healthy Ben Simmons Could Unlock Nets

Brooklyn’s post-trade deadline rotations focused on two-way players and saw the breakout of Mikal Bridges, the continued development of Cameron Johnson, and flashes of what could be with Cameron Thomas all while Nic Claxton was making his case for Defensive Player of the Year honors.

What that younger group of players lacked was a true playmaker, relying instead on Spencer Dinwiddie,30, who ranked second in the NBA with 10.9 assists per game from March 10 on. But Dinwiddie is heading into the final year of his three-year $54 million contract.

An extension could cost up to $128 million, per former Nets executive Bobby Marks.

Simmons — the only player with an All-Star appearance on the Nets’ roster — could be the answer if he could manage to regain his health and confidence.

If the Brooklyn Nets can just get the Philadelphia 76ers version of Ben Simmons, they might really have something.

“Ben from Philly – that I played against – elite athlete, 6-foot-10, guard all five positions,” Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie said about Simmons on the ‘Gil’s Arena’ presented by Underdog Fantasy with Gilbert Arenas on May 23. Can do things that, I mean we probably only really see Giannis [Antetokounmpo] kind of do to a degree – I mean, without the length.”

Comparing anyone to Antetokounmpo is lofty praise, even for a former three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive selection in Simmons who finished this past season averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while appearing in just 42 games.

Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, has seven All-NBA and All-Star selections each, and is a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team.

Simmons, 26, has not made for than 58 appearances since the 2018-19 season.

Simmons is also the only current Net with an All-Star appearance to his credit and one of just two players with a season-long accolade – Mikal Bridges was named to the 2021-22 All-Defensive team. His lack of aggression or a jump shot has also flustered head coach Jacque Vaughn who has run the gantlet of ways to deploy him

“Trying to figure out what lineup fits around Ben, what position fits for Ben, how we can make him look good at every opportunity. I’m still trying to figure that out,” Vaughn said via the team’s official YouTube channel in February. “That’s on me to figure that out.”

The good news for everyone involved is that Simmons is said to be attacking his latest rehab stint with renewed vigor.

“If he’s right, I think he’s a All-Star guy,” said Dinwiddie. “If he’s not, then injuries are injuries.”

Simmons is under contract for the next two seasons with more than $78 million owed to him. The Nets need him to get back to the form that earned him the aforementioned accolades and that big-money contract.

Spencer Dinwiddie Identifies Next Steps for Cameron Johnson

Dinwiddie was also asked about another teammate, restricted free agent Cameron Johnson. He and the team have expressed a mutual interest in continuing the relationship but it could get pricey fast.

Johnson is expected to garner a lot of interest on the market and Dinwiddie knows why.

“There’s not too many people that shoot 45[%] from three, got enough wiggle to kind of get to the rim, get to the mid-range, and he’s 6-foot-9 too.”

Johnson averaged 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 25 games after being traded from Phoenix, all of which would have been career highs over an entire season.

He shot 37.2% from deep during the regular season with Brooklyn and was even better in the playoffs, connecting on 42.9% of his triples, and has a tight bond with Bridges that could help his cause to remain a Net.

Dinwiddie noted the additional ball-handling and playmaking ability Johnson showed with Brooklyn as part of his continued development.

But for Johnson to take his game to the next level, Dinwiddie says he has to stay healthy. He missed 37 games this past season after surgery to repair a torn meniscus and has never made more than 66 appearances in four NBA seasons and has only done that once.

“If he can start to put together 60, 65-plus-game seasons, I think [the] sky’s kind of the limit,” Dinwiddie said.

Spencer Dinwiddie: Kyle Kuzma ‘Was Hurt’ by Comments

The back-and-forth between Dinwiddie and his former Washington Wizards teammate, Kyle Kuzma, has taken yet another turn. What started as what Dinwiddie thought was honesty has turned into far more.

“Obviously, he was hurt by the things I said,” Dinwiddie said. “I never once said he wasn’t talented…Everything that I said, though, was designed to be honest.”

Dinwiddie called out the Wizards as a whole for prioritizing other things over winning after a loss to Washington in late January while he was still a member of the Dallas Mavericks. The Wizards traded the 30-year-old point guard to the Mavs less than two months earlier.

“The funny thing is they don’t play winning basketball,” Kuzma tweeted in response.

Dinwiddie appeared on FanDuel TV’s ‘Run It Back’ on April 12 and laid out the reasons why he thinks Kuzma’s priorities are out of order.

Kuzma responded to that interview with a six-tweet thread, reading Dinwiddie the riot act.

The highlights of Kuzma’s riff were that Dinwiddie has never won a championship (Kuzma helped the Los Angeles Lakers win in 2020), that Dinwiddie has been traded more, and that the Nets star tried to have his contract paid out in cryptocurrency.

Dinwiddie said he ignored Kuzma once the latter started name-calling, mocking the former’s last name, saying that is what school children do.

“Do I respect his talent level? Yes,” Dinwidde affirmed. “Do I respect his priorities? No.”

Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons was named in another hypothetical deal. Ben Stinar of Sports Illustrated proposed a trade involving the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors.

Warriors receive: Ben Simmons

Nets receive: Jordan Poole

Stinar explained why the Warriors would want to take on Simmons following the season he just had with the Nets.

“Simmons was once among the best young rising stars in the league.

“The former LSU star has fallen off over the last few seasons (and dealt with injuries), but he can play a pivotal role for the Warriors,” Stinar said.

Stinar used the Warriors’ history of getting the most out of players like Andrew Wiggins as a reason for why they should take a flyer on Simmons.

“When next season begins, Simmons will only be 27 years old, and the Warriors have an excellent history of getting the best out of players.

“Andrew Wiggins had the reputation of being a draft bust, but in his third season with the franchise, he started in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game (and helped the Warriors win the title).”

Stinar also used the Warriors’ defensive stats to illustrate why he thinks they could use someone like Simmons.

“In 2023, the Warriors ranked just 21st in opponents’ points per game (116.6 PPG) and 25th in blocks per game (4.0).

“Therefore, it’s clear they need to look for players who can help them on defense.”

Analyst Gives Thoughts on James Harden-Ben Simmons Trade

With it being over a year since the Nets and Sixers swapped Harden for Simmons, Brian Lewis of the New York Post wrote an article on May 20, giving his thoughts on how the Sixers and Nets fared in the trade.

Lewis said that had the Sixers won a title with Harden, they would win the deal, which may not be an option if Harden leaves.

“Philadelphia’s gambit was a win-now move, and a title would’ve made the Sixers the clear winners no matter what happened elsewhere. But if Harden leaves, they will have never even gotten close, with their end of the ledger tallied up.”

Lewis then said Simmons’ performance will determine how the Nets did.

“The Nets’ story is still being written — and with Drummond gone and Curry likely to follow, it largely will be defined by Simmons. His contract is one of the most bloated in the NBA in terms of return-on-investment. Now it’s on the Nets to find a way to salvage Simmons and make the best of the situation.”

Dwight Howard Recruits Ben Simmons, Jordan Poole

Former Sixers backup center Dwight Howard recorded a video of himself on May 16 sarcastically recruiting multiple NBA players to come play with him in Taiwan, including Simmons and Poole.

“Jordan Poole, come on! Julius Randle, come on!” Howard said. “Ben Simmons, come on, man!… Klay, you can slide down here too, my boy. Deandre Ayton, you and (Chris Paul) come on. (Kevin Durant)? Come on, KD!”

Howard even recruited Harden, who he played with on the Houston Rockets from 2013 to 2016.

“They talking about him going back to Houston, but I think this might be a better look. James Harden, come on down here too, boy!”

In his exit interview, Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn noted the need for more “downhill” options.

Brooklyn could look into finding that option in Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young.

“Rumblings about [Young’s] future in Atlanta persisted through the end of the season,” wrote Dan Favale of Bleacher Report in a May 20 article identifying ‘ambitious’ trade targets for every team. “if they do decide to shop him, Brooklyn has a gaping hole at the point of attack and plenty of assets to peddle.”

Favale notes the Nets’ plethora of draft capital – they have four firsts from the Phoenix Suns and one each from the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers. But they do not have control of their own draft picks spurring their possibility of another star chase.

There is a growing belief the Nets will do just that this offseason with a roster that is stocked at the wing positions.

“Many throughout the league…believe the Nets are likely to move one of those picks in a trade to find either a proven scorer or rebounder,” wrote Brian Lewis of the New York Post on May 20. “But others have suggested the team could pare down their stock of 3-and-D wings to help balance out their roster.”

Young, 24, led the NBA in total points in 2021-22 (ninth this past season), was an All-NBA selection that season, and would certainly qualify as a “proven scorer”.

He is also the back-to-back leader in total assists and has one of the hardest paint games for defenses to stop between his floater and ability to find teammates on lob passes which would satisfy Vaughn’s desire for a downhill threat.

Young averaged 27.1 points and a career-high 10.2 assists per game this past season adding 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.

He struggled with his deep ball during the regular season.

His 33.5% mark from deep was the second-worst of his career only ahead of his rookie season when he shot 32.4% on threes. However, Young’s 33.3% mark on threes in the postseason was a playoff-career high and he knocked down 36.6% of his deep looks over the final four games of the Hawks’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics.

Trading for Trae Young Could Get Complicated

The Nets have the defensive structure to surrender a package of Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale – both of whom are on the trading block, per Lewis, and were listed as potential options to entice Atlanta by Favale – plus whatever other picks Atlanta asks for.

Brooklyn could also find the opportunity to unload Ben Simmons who Atlanta previously showed an interest in trading for.

Nets get:

– Trae Young
– Bogdan Bogdanovic

Hawks get:

– Dorian Finney-Smith
– Royce O’Neale
– Ben Simmons

Simmons’ current injured status is just one of many complications making this an unlikely transaction and certainly “ambitious”.

“The Hawks aren’t obligated to trade [Young]. He has another three years before he’s eligible to hit free agency,” Favale notes, adding, “Whether the Nets can poach Young without forking over Bridges himself is debatable.”

Young is heading into the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract.

Adding the 30-year-old Bogdanovic (four years, $68 million) helps make the money work and gives the Nets another reliable, albeit streaky scorer off the bench.

Nets Could Practice Patience

It is important to note that Lewis’ report noted the Hawks would pursue a “proven” scorer, not necessarily a star and certainly not one of Young’s caliber. This would fit with Nets general manager Sean Marks’ comments from his end-of-season media availability about letting this group breathe after they got roughly 30 games together after the trade deadline.

Still, Brooklyn is at an undeniable crossroads with the current roster looking like a tough matchup but far from a title contender after getting swept in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, this time by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets made one of the biggest midseason trades in NBA history when they swapped James Harden and Ben Simmons, among others, for each other. With it being over a year since the swap happened, Brian Lewis of The New York Post gave his thoughts on who won the deal knowing what their intentions were.

Lewis gave his thoughts on if the Sixers won the trade, factoring what could be at stake this offseason.

“Philadelphia’s gambit was a win-now move, and a title would’ve made the Sixers the clear winners no matter what happened elsewhere. But if Harden leaves, they will have never even gotten close, with their end of the ledger tallied up.”

Lewis then said whether the Nets won the trade will depend on how Simmons performs going forward.

“The Nets’ story is still being written — and with Drummond gone and Curry likely to follow, it largely will be defined by Simmons. His contract is one of the most bloated in the NBA in terms of return-on-investment. Now it’s on the Nets to find a way to salvage Simmons and make the best of the situation.”

Lewis concluded by saying that perhaps one team has won the deal, neither of which were the Nets or Sixers.

“Neither they nor the 76ers can walk away saying they won this trade. If Harden ends up returning to Houston — playing at home, alongside the picks he was traded for — the Rockets might be the real winners.”

James Harden Wants to be ‘Treated Like a God’

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on May 19 that Harden is expected to go back to the Rockets.

“The belief among NBA executives is that James Harden will rejoin the Houston Rockets this summer.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta ‘loves’ the 76ers point guard. The franchise expects to reunite with him,” Pompey wrote.

Pompey added why Harden would want to go back to the Rockets.

“Sources have said his interest in returning to Houston is mutual and not a ploy to get a lucrative deal out of the Sixers” Pompey said. “His mother still lives in the city. He has several business ventures there. And, as one source said, “he’s treated like a god in Houston.”

Doc Rivers Did Not Think He Would Get Fired

Marc Stein reported that Doc Rivers believed that he did enough to warrant sticking around as a head coach after being eliminated by the Boston Celtics, which of course, was not the case.

“Another strong rumbling in Chicago: Doc Rivers and his staff came away from Philadelphia’s Game 7 loss in Boston in Round 2 with the initial feeling that they would survive the 76ers’ failure to win the series after seizing a 3-2 series lead with a Game 5 win at TD Garden. That was Monday. By Tuesday morning, Rivers had been fired,” Stein wrote on his Substack on May 20.

Stein added who is being considered for the Sixers’ next head coach.

“Former Raptors coach Nick Nurse and James Harden favorite Mike D’Antoni are among a slew of veteran coaches Philly is considering in the search for Rivers’ replacement.”

The only thing Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons catches grief for more than his injury history, it has been his lack of aggression when on the basketball court. But if his recovery process is any indication, Nets fans may be pleased with what they see from the 26-year-old three-time All-Star come next season.

“The group around Ben has noticed a complete change in Ben’s focus and mentality [through] this rehab and how he has attacked it and engaged with everything,” reported Brian Lewis of The New York Post on May 17.

All 42 of Simmons’ appearances this past season came before the All-Star break.

When Simmons was active, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn called him out for what has become a signature lack of assertiveness and the troubles it causes in utilizing him.

“Can he protect the rim for us,” Vaughn said to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News rhetorically in December. “Can he guard on the perimeter for us? Can he push the pace? All of those things at a high level. Not as if he’s playing 32 minutes, but 22.”

Simmons averaged career lows with 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this season. But at his peak, he was a 16.8-point, 8.8-board, 7.7-assist force.

He has still never averaged fewer than 1.3 steals per game in any season.

With two years and more than $78 million remaining on his contract, the Nets have to hope that he can continue progressing along the 18-month timeline that similar procedures have taken for players like Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.

Nets general manager Sean Marks has noted that Simmons shouldn’t require additional surgery.

Ben Simmons Said the Right Things

“I like to be called out,” Simmons told reporters following a Nets win over the Milwaukee Bucks in December via the YES Network. “Especially when I’m not contributing to helping the team win. So, for me, I want to be able to improve in certain areas to help this team.”

Simmons averaged career lows with 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this season. But with two years and more than $78 million remaining on his contract, the Nets have to hope that he can continue progressing along the 18-month timeline that similar procedures have taken for players like Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn is hoping for a return of the player that looked to be a two-way force, albeit an unconventional one.

The lone player with an All-Star appearance to his name, Simmons could be the piece this group is missing to unlock the true potential of Mikal Bridges as a primary scorer and secondary ball handler.

Or Cameron Johnson – assuming he returns in restricted free agency – in a tertiary playmaker’s role while also providing the kind of reliable floorspace a player like Simmons needs.

It won’t matter, however, if he cannot get fully healthy but he appears to be on track for that too.
“Ben has been cleared to progress to his next stage of his rehab and is progressing really well,” Simmons’ agent Bernie Lee told Lewis. “And we remain very excited about his ability to return to form next year.”

Dwight Howard Name Drops Ben Simmons in Open Invitation

Former NBA big man and 2020 NBA Finals champion Dwight Howard took his talent overseas and is playing in Taiwan for the Taoyuan Leopards, a team in the island nation’s “top league”, in 2022, per NBA.com and the Associate Press.

He has become quite the attraction in his new home and was even generous enough to extend an invitation to all of his “washed” NBA brethren, including Simmons.

Howard’s list features an even split of aging vets and disappointing younger players. Simmons’ career arc is not pointing toward Taiwan at this point and certainly not as he is making progress in his recovery.

Following his move to Taiwan, former NBA superstar and Philadelphia 76ers backup center Dwight Howard has jokingly begun recruiting NBA players to come join him, including his former teammates James Harden and Ben Simmons.

Simmons and Harden were among the multiple NBA player Howard facetiously recruited in a new viral video.

“Jordan Poole, come on! Julius Randle, come on!” Howard said. “Ben Simmons, come on, man!… Klay, you can slide down here too, my boy. Deandre Ayton, you and (Chris Paul) come on. (Kevin Durant)? Come on, KD!”

Howard referenced Houston’s possible reunion with the Houston Rockets before recruiting his former teammate.

“They talking about him going back to Houston, but I think this might be a better look. James Harden, come on down here too, boy!”

Howard played with Harden on the Rockets from 2013 to 2016 on the Rockets, then played with Simmons on the Sixers during the 2020-21 season. After playing what appears to be his final NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021-22 season, Howard played professional basketball overseas this season.

There Was Tension Between Doc Rivers & James Harden

In an appearance on “The Anthony Gargano Show,” Shelburne reported that the pairing of Harden and Doc Rivers was a little tense, citing instances where Rivers tried to hold Harden accountable for his actions off the court.

“The Harden-Doc Rivers thing was never great,” Shelburne said. “There was a lot behind it. There was this team meeting I had heard about where Doc tried to say something about (Harden) going out on the road and how does that look, and how does that look to your teammates. If you’re going to do that, you’ve really got to show up in the game. There was a lot of trying to hold James accountable in certain ways.”

Shelburne added that on the court, Rivers and Harden were never a “great fit,” as well as adding that she did not know if Rivers’ firing from the Sixers was by request from Harden, who is expected to become a free agent this summer.

Rockets a ‘Very Real Possiblity’ For James Harden

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that the possibility that Harden reunites with the Rockets is very real.

“It was a real possibility back on Christmas, and it remains so now that the Sixers are in the offseason that we’re started to head toward July free agency. Houston’s a very real possibility for Philadelphia’s James Harden in free agency. They’ve got upwards of $60 million in cap space. They want to be much better next season,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s Get Up on May 15.

Wojnarowski added that even if they were to land Victor Wembayana, the Rockets would still pursue Harden regardless.

“There’s a comfort level in Houston for James Harden. He’s got family there. He’s very comfortable in that environment, and this is an organization where he knows ownership. He knows the front office, and I think regardless for the Rockets of whether or not they won the draft lottery, if they win the lottery tomorrow night here in Chicago, and they’re the ones who can draft Victor Wembayana, my sense is that would not necessarily change the Rockets’ intentions to pursue James Harden.”

The Rockets were awarded the no. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While Wembayana will likely not be an option, they still have a chance to draft a promising NBA player.

Watching his former team get eliminated from the postseason was all fun and games for Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons. The former Philadelphia 76er did not hide the fact that he was taking in their eventual 112-88 loss in during some downtime at home, posting a picture of him doing just that to his Instagram on May 14.

But Simmons flaunting his viewing choices did not sit well with ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith who did not hold back.

“The only thing worse than James Harden was that sorry, trifling a** Ben Simmons,” Smith said on his ‘Know Mercy with Stephen A. Smith’ podcast on May 15. “How the h*** you gonna say something about any basketball player? … I tried to be nice to Ben Simmons. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. I started off the season saying, ‘Give him a chance’. How the h*** are you talking about a basketball player when you treat putting on a basketball uniform and dribbling on the basketball court to go play…as if somebody asked you to get on the front lines in Ukraine to fight Russia? That’s how scared he is to play basketball. That’s how scared he is.”

The game (Game 7) featured admittedly poor performances for the Sixers from 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and former Nets star James Harden who forced his way out of Brooklyn and also has an MVP in his trophy case.

This is also not the first time he has stuck it to his former team.

But, to Smith’s point, Simmons did not see the floor in a game after the All-Star break.

He had suited up for 42 of a possible 58 games before being shut down for the season with back inflammation on March 28.

Simmons missed all of last season with that injury which required a microdiscectomy, which normally takes roughly 18 months to recover from. That would put him on track to begin next season healthy barring any setbacks but, according to Smith, this is a pattern of behavior for the oversized point guard.

Stephen A. Smith Laments ‘Excuses’ for Ben Simmons

“I mean he’s the one…that brought up mental illness,” Smith said. “I didn’t bring that up. I didn’t say anything about that. I’m not making light of something like that. He brought that up. He said that was rationale. He said that he needed therapy. He said that he needed to talk to people. Then it’s a back injury, then it’s a knee injury, it’s all of these excuses not to play. But that brother never missed the check, though. He always makes sure the check is in the account. Always. And you are talking about James Harden and the 76ers, the team you quit on? The team you left hanging? The team that you were supposed to help deliver a championship as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft? You. You. That’s you.”

Simmons cited mental health as part of his season-long stand last year, something that was a point of contention for the Sixers before moving on. His relationship with the Sixers seemingly went South during the 2021 NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

It was during Game 7 versus the Atlanta Hawks and Simmons, who was matched up with 6-foot-1 Trae Young, passed out of what looked like a clear layup.

After the game, Embiid called that the “turning point” of the game, and Simmons later expressed that he felt like he was the scapegoat. If it were unclear whether there was some resentment for a player whose on-court performance has been stunted by injuries and a newfound lack of aggression on offense, his former teammates have said as much.

Instead, Simmons averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this past season and often left head coach Jacque Vaughn searching for answers on how to best utilize him.

“I better not see Ben Simmons,” Smith said. “All I’m gonna do is look at him…Sorry a**. That’s all I can think.it’s not because you play bad. James Harden played bad, and you gotta live with that. But he ain’t you. At least he showed up.”

Simmons is heading into the fourth year of a five-year, $177 million contract. His trade value has diminished to the point that it is believed the Nets would have to attach additional assets if they wanted to unload the remaining $78-plus million of that deal in a trade for a superstar this offseason.

Nets Add to Jacque Vaughn’s Coaching Staff

Brooklyn’s offseason activities have been limited to pre-draft workouts and rumors of changes to the coaching staff. On the latter front, Brooklyn announced the hiring of Jay Hernandez, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scotto previously reported on the Nets potentially adding former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego to the bench as well.

In outgoing coaching news, Scotto also links Nets assistants Royal Ivey and Will Weaver to the Houston Rockets as they fill out new head coach and former Nets assistant Ime Udoka’s staff for next season.

Udoka was briefly a candidate for the Nets’ head coaching position following the firing of Steve Nash but, in the wake of his dismissal from the Boston Celtics due to an improper relationship with a subordinate, the Nets passed on Udoka and hired Vaughn. Vaughn began the season on Nash’s staff but survived his boss’ firing and received a multi-year extension during the season.

There is no love lost between Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons and his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers who traded him last offseason after he sat out the 2022 season with a back injury and mental health issues. But since then, things have gotten petty at times with both sides taking subliminal and even direct shots at one another.

The latest example came as Simmons posted a pick of the Sixers’ blowout 112-88 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals on May 14.

Philly went from being tied at 55-all to trailing by 30 points at one point in the second half.

The game featured a suboptimal game from both of Philly’s top stars, each of whom has taken their fair share of shots at the Nets and/or Simmons in the aftermath of the trade as well.

Embiid pointed to Simmons’ passing on a dunk over Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young in the 2021 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals as a turning point for the series and said that winning was not his former teammates’ top priority.

“It’s unfortunate winning was not the biggest factor,” Embiid said, per Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times in February of 2022. “It’s unfortunate that for him having his own team and, I guess, being a star was more his priorities.”

Embiid – who was playing through a sprained LCL – finished third on the Sixers with 15 points adding eight rebounds, two blocks, and one assist. He had made a note of how difficult things were for Nets swingman Mikal Bridges when Philly focused their efforts on him in their opening-round sweep of the Nets.

It was a bit of a role reversal as Embiid found himself stymied by 36-year-old Al Horford, who was credited with three blocks against Embiid – the 2023 KIA NBA MVP.

Harden, who Embiid hyped for his MVP credentials and who took a victory lap when the Nets traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, was even worse in the contest. He had nine points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals, and one block. But Harden went just 3-for-11 from the floor including 1-for-5 from beyond the arc while also turning the ball over five times.

It was surely not the ending the Sixers – who had a 3-2 lead in the series – wanted with reports Harden could bolt this summer.

Another Ben Simmons Antagonist Comes Up Short

One of Simmons’ more vocal critics was Sixers forward Georges Niang who had said that the formers’ constant absence was holding the team back.

“Ben Simmons kind of handicapped us at the beginning of last year, Niang said during a live appearance on-location for the ‘John Kincaide Show’ on 97.5 The Fan on February 24. “Last year was difficult because you didn’t know who you had…Now, it’s just like…you know who you’re going into war with every single night.”

Niang found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reason in Game 7.

“I don’t think it was purposely done to hurt Jaylen,” Niang said, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “I think these things happen over the course of the game. He came to the bench and if it looked like I was holding him back to get back on defense, that wasn’t my intention.”

Niang finished with zero points, recording one block while seeing fewer than four minutes of floor time.

Brown was not pleased with the double-technical verdict.

Of course, Simmons is not exactly coming off the best showing of his career this past season either averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while also lacking aggression on offense before being shut down for the season.

Ben Simmons’ International Future Up in the Air

Simmons appeared in just 42 games during the regular season before being shut down with back inflammation. While a setback, it is along the expected timeline for a full recovery from the microdiscectomy he underwent in May of 2022, But it does seem a once-lost connection could be re-established as Simmons says he is open to suiting up for his native Australia for the first time since he was 16 years old.

“I’m currently rehabilitating my back injury and putting my full effort and focus towards that,” Simmons told James McKern of The Herald Sun. “I love what [Boomers head coach Brian] Goorjian is building with the Boomers and I look forward to being a part of the program in the future.”

The feeling is mutual.

“We’ve made a spot for him if he’s available by the time of the Cairns camp,” said Goorjian, per McKern. “He definitely wants to be a part of this and is working right now to get healthy…The communication’s been good, he’s in that frame of mind of wanting to be a part of this…He’s just trying to get healthy.”

Former Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons has fallen and fallen hard since his last season with the team. So much so that when Steve Bulpett of Heavy Sports talked with a Western Conference executive about the former no. 1 pick, the exec had a short, sweet, and brutally honest message.

“I gave up following that sumbitch a long time ago.”

Simmons did not put up his usual numbers in his first season with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 42 games. Not only that, but Simmons’ last game was February 15 against the Miami Heat, where he proceeded to miss the rest of the season rehab his back.

Simmons has two years left on his contract, where he’ll make nearly $37.9 million next season and then $40.3 million the season after that.

Tyrese Haliburton Was Available For Ben Simmons

While the Sixers were dealing with the Simmons’ drama during the 2021-22 season, the Sacramento Kings put Tyrese Haliburton on the table while Simmons was on the trading block, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

“It didn’t matter that Sacramento, according to league sources, had put future All-Star Tyrese Haliburton on the proverbial table, nor the conversations with Atlanta that would have shed Tobias Harris’ contract along with Simmons’ disinterest in sticking around South Philly,” Fischer reported.

The Sixers ultimately balked at Haliburton and opted for James Harden instead. Haliburton was later traded to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis, among others, around the exact time the Sixers swapped Simmons for Harden.

Haliburton made his first all-star team in his third NBA season with the Pacers. While the Sixers could have potentially had the chance to get him while he was still on his rookie contract, they, at the very least, got rid of Simmons and his massive contract for an all-star caliber player like Harden instead.

Exec Proposes John Collins For Ben Simmons Swap

An NBA executive told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that the Nets are looking for players who can score, like John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks, but they could only pull off a trade like that if they find a taker for Simmons

“The Nets want some guys who can score, and [Collins] can score,” the executive told Deveney. “But the only way [the Nets] can really do something big — can really get someone who can score in there — is if they can get a taker for Ben Simmons.”

The exec then explained how Simmons could potentially fit on a team like the Hawks.

“There aren’t a lot of teams where that would make sense, but Atlanta is one of them because you need to build a defensive group around Trae Young,” the executive said. “Now, if you’re the Nets, you still have to convince Atlanta that Simmons wants to play. Obviously, that is the question around him right now.”

With his massive contract and his lackluster production in the half-season that he played in his first season with the Nets, it will be a difficult task to get Simmons off their payroll.

The Philadelphia 76ers made out OK after the Ben Simmons drama of the 2021-22 season. They not only managed to get rid of him, but they managed to acquire James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets and are one win away from a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. However, a rising star was reportedly also available in a deal for Simmons, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Harden was always “atop [the Sixers’] wish list,” Fischer wrote in a story published May 8, even when some up-and-coming names were also being floated.

“It didn’t matter that Sacramento, according to league sources, had put future All-Star Tyrese Haliburton on the proverbial table, [neither did] the conversations with Atlanta that would have shed Tobias Harris’ contract, along with Simmons’ disinterest in sticking around South Philly,” Fischer reported.

Haliburton wound up getting traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, among others, and the Sixers have been a top-3 seed both years they have had Harden. In Haliburton, they would have acquired a 21-year-old player on a rookie-scale contract and would have gotten the opportunity to offer him an extension or maintain control over him in restricted free agency.

James Harden’s Exit From Sixers May Be ‘an Inevitability’

Ari Alexander of Click2Houston.com reported that Harden’s return to the Houston Rockets is being treated as inevitable.

“What I’ve heard in league circles is similar to what many Rockets fans are reading — that James Harden’s return is being treated as an inevitability. Harden has one year remaining on his deal with the 76ers but is expected to opt out and either seek a new deal or sign with the Rockets,” Alexander wrote in a story published May 5.

Alexander wrote that Harden has several connections with Houston, one of which is with young Rockets guard Jalen Green.

“Harden is very comfortable in Houston, with a home, restaurant, and all of his favorite haunts,” Alexander wrote. “He’s said to have [a] good relationship with Jalen Green (they’re close through both typical basketball events and as faces of Adidas Basketball, where Green regularly wears Harden’s signature shoes).”

Exec Proposes a Swap: John Collins for Ben Simmons

An NBA executive told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that the Nets are looking for a scoring big — someone like the Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins — but that it won’t be easy to pull off a trade for one.

“The Nets want some guys who can score, and [Collins] can score,” the executive said. “But the only way [the Nets] can really do something big — can really get someone who can score in there — is if they can get a taker for Ben Simmons.”

The exec said Simmons could fit on a team like the Hawks.

“There aren’t a lot of teams where that would make sense, but Atlanta is one of them because you need to build a defensive group around Trae Young,” the executive said. “Now, if you’re the Nets, you still have to convince Atlanta that Simmons wants to play. Obviously, that is the question around him right now.”

Collins helped the Hawks beat the Sixers in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.

What is the most realistic outcome of this offseason for the Brooklyn Nets?

“The most realistic vision of this fall’s Nets is that it’s [Mikal] Bridges, [Nic] Claxton, and [Spencer] Dinwiddie driving the bus with a cohort of scrappy role players and whatever they can get from Simmons,” writes John Hollinger of The Athletic on May 4.

Brooklyn finished the season as the six-seed, going 13-15 after the trade deadline and 11-13 after the All-Star break before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, this time with a roster put together on the fly. The hodgepodge nature of the roster figures to lend itself to some fairly significant changes on the horizon.

But Hollinger, the former vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, drove home his point about the situation the Nets find themselves in with Simmons in particular.

“I’ve been in this position,” Hollinger writes. “There is really no other option than to ride it out, because a) the possibility of using the contract as matching salary in a trade is just too valuable to pass up, and b) I mean, what’s the alternative? Having $37 million in dead money (or $12 million in stretched money) on the cap each year, just so you can fill that roster spot with a minimum guy who might not even be any better?

“At least, as long as Simmons is still there and in uniform, you have the possibility – the brief glimmer of hope! – that he can have some kind of [Russell] Westbrookian career U-turn that restores some of his value…this is arguably the worst contract in the league right now.”

Simmons, 26, made just 42 appearances this season and none after the All-Star break finishing the season averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.

The former three-time All-Star was shut down with back soreness on March 28.

But Hollinger also tries “grasping at straws” to figure out how to best utilize Simmons’ uniquely limited skillset. It is a similar issue to what Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn faced during the season when trying to integrate Simmons into the offense.

Hollinger’s co-author Alex Schiffer notes the best version of Simmons would be a “great fit” on this team.

Nets Can Still Have a ‘Good Summer’

“What would make this a good summer,” asks Hollinger. “First, re-signing Johnson at a number they can live with; I think anything less than $90 million over four years is a win. Second, hitting on their draft pick(s) and adding more talent into the pipeline. And third, finding trades that turn their surplus of big wings into trade exceptions and/or draft assets they can use in the future. If they succeed on number three, in fact, we can add a fourth barometer: using their mid-level exception to add another rotation player at either point guard or center.”

Nets general manager Sean Marks has already been vocal on their plans to add to their frontcourt, be it via a big wing or a center.

That player just has to bring some “nastiness” and “Brooklyn grit”.

Cameron Johnson’s Situation Could Get Complicated

According to Hollinger citing sources with knowledge of the situation, Johnson is expected to land a deal worth North of $20 million per season with teams like the Indiana Pacers and the Houston Rockets linked to the 27-year-old sharpshooter.

Hollinger also reiterates that he is hearing the Nets have no interest in letting him walk.

However, former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks put a warning out to the Nets about being baited into giving Johnson that deal.

It is worth noting that Johnson’s former team, the Phoenix Suns, did not want to pay him “anything close to that”, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. He showed a broader skill set in Brooklyn than he did in that setting though.

Johnson’s friendship with the Nets’ current building block in Bridges will play a part. And, perhaps, even without that the Nets would be in on keeping Johnson who came over in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

An NBA executive told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that the Brooklyn Nets are looking at acquiring a big who can score, like John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks. But, the executive said, doing so isn’t without a major obstacle.

“The Nets want some guys who can score, and [Collins] can score,” the executive said. “But the only way [the Nets] can really do something big — can really get someone who can score in there — is if they can get a taker for Ben Simmons.”

The exec then explained why Simmons could potentially work on a team like the Hawks.

“There aren’t a lot of teams where that would make sense, but Atlanta is one of them because you need to build a defensive group around Trae Young,” the executive said. “Now, if you’re the Nets, you still have to convince Atlanta that Simmons wants to play. Obviously, that is the question around him right now.”

Simmons has played only 42 games over the past two seasons, sitting out all of 2021-22 with injuries and personal issues and missing every game after this year’s All-Star Break with the Nets called a nerve impingement.

Collins was a playoff rival of the Sixers when he helped the Hawks advance past the Sixers in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. Collins has a 15.8 point-per-game scoring average in his six years with the Hawks. In 2022, he started 71 games, pulling down 6.5 rebounds per game.

Proposed Trade Would Send Ben Simmons to the San Antonio Spurs

To give Simmons a fresh start, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed a trade in which the following would occur.

Nets receive: Doug McDermott and 2023 Phoenix Suns first-round pick

Spurs receive: Simmons

“San Antonio’s hoard of cap space means it can onboard Simmons’ deal without issue,” Hughes wrote in an April 27 story headlined “Trades That Need to Happen.” “As long as the Spurs believe there’s enough upside to justify giving up a quality shooter in McDermott and a late first-rounder from the Suns, they can handle the two years and $78.2 million left on Simmons’ contract.”

Hughes wrote that it’s tough to know what exactly Simmons’ trade value is at the moment, but he wrote that going to the Spurs could be exactly what he would need to get his career back on track.

“Again, gauging Simmons’ value is tough. If the Spurs demanded a first-rounder in exchange for all the cap relief they’d be giving the Nets, it wouldn’t be out of bounds,” he wrote. “If Brooklyn determined Simmons’ worth was too low to trade him at all, and that it might be better to wait and see if improved health opens up the market at the 2024 deadline, that might also be sensible.

“Simmons, though, could use a clean slate. The Spurs can provide one.”

James Harden Reflects on Historic Performance

After James Harden tied a career high in playoff scoring with 45 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Harden reflected on how well he played.

“I haven’t felt one of those zones in a minute,” Harden said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “You know what I mean? Just to be aggressive and shoot the basketball and do what I want.

“That felt really good. … I’m capable of doing it, so it felt good. It felt good to make those shots, to give ourselves a chance.”

Harden’s performance propelled the Sixers to a 1-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in their best-of-seven series.

Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons did not have the most productive year in his first season with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 42 games. It may be time for Simmons to get a fresh new start on a team that’s starting over. In an article titled, “Bold Trades That Need to Happen,” Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would give Simmons just that.

Hughes proposed a trade that would send Simmons to the San Antonio Spurs in which the following would be swapped.

Nets receive: Doug McDermott and 2023 Phoenix Suns First-Round Pick

Spurs receive: Simmons

Hughes explained how the Spurs could take on Simmons’ contract, which will be on the Nets’ books for two more seasons.

“San Antonio’s hoard of cap space means it can onboard Simmons’ deal without issue. As long as the Spurs believe there’s enough upside to justify giving up a quality shooter in McDermott and a late first-rounder from the Suns, they can handle the two years and $78.2 million left on Simmons’ contract,” Hughes said.

Hughes added that Simmons’ trade value is tough to read at the moment, but a trade to the Spurs would give him the restart he needs.

“Again, gauging Simmons’ value is tough. If the Spurs demanded a first-rounder in exchange for all the cap relief they’d be giving the Nets, it wouldn’t be out of bounds. If Brooklyn determined Simmons’ worth was too low to trade him at all, and that it might be better to wait and see if improved health opens up the market at the 2024 deadline, that might also be sensible.

“Simmons, though, could use a clean slate. The Spurs can provide one.”

Sixers Predicted to Keep James Harden This Summer

With the offseason not too long from now, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report predicted that, among the hoopla surrounding James Harden’s free agency, the Sixers star will ultimately stay with the team this offseason instead of going back to his former team, the Houston Rockets.

“Outside of Harden’s history with the Houston Rockets, it’s hard to tell what would interest him (or the team, for that matter) in a reunion. Harden, who turns 34 in August, is clinging to whatever is left of his prime, while the rebuilding Rockets haven’t even started their ascension.

“Prediction: Harden re-signs with the 76ers.”

James Harden’s Future With Sixers ‘Very Unclear’

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on “The Woj Pod” that Harden’s future with the Sixers remains uncertain. Adding to that, Wojnarowski said that what will determine whether Harden stays is how the Sixers do in the playoffs.

“There’s going to be change there if they don’t – there may be change if they go to the Finals,” Wojnarowski said. “James Harden’s future is very unclear in Philadelphia. Houston is very much in play for him. And I think a lot may depend on [whether] they make a run and win, and it’s easy to pay him long-term big money, or he just wants to be in Houston. Win or lose he goes, or it’s dependent on the team’s success.”

The Sixers will resume their playoff run against the Boston Celtics.

All expectations are for Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons to make a full recovery from the back inflammation that knocked him out of the final 39 games of the regular season.

But perhaps he should make that recovery elsewhere.

“It seems clear Ben Simmons would benefit from a fresh start in a low-stakes environment,” writes Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, “Which makes the stable, rebuilding Spurs the ideal destination for his hypothetical career resuscitation. Gauging his value is the tricky part.

Nets Get:
– Doug McDermott

Spurs Get:
– Ben Simmons

“San Antonio’s hoard of cap space means it can onboard Simmons’ deal without issue. As long as the Spurs believe there’s enough upside to justify giving up a quality shooter in McDermott and a late first-rounder from the Suns, they can handle the two years and $78.2 million left on Simmons’ contract.”

The problem is, even when Simmons was on the floor this season, he failed to impress. A three-time All-Star (and two-time All-Defensive selection), Simmons averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists this past season.

Making his return less than a year after a microdiscectomy procedure that usually takes up to 18 months to recover from, he failed to make the same impact as in years past.

Still just 26 years old, there is optimism he won’t need an additional procedure.

Then again, is it worth flipping a player with Simmons’ theoretical ceiling for an aging (but usable) asset and reliable shooter in McDermott, 31, who averaged 10.2 points and shot better than 41% on three-pointers last season?

Far From a Perfect Solution

The proposal shows the Phoenix Suns’ 2023 first-round pick – which the Nets got in the Kevin Durant trade – going to Brooklyn.

Given Simmons’ current status, it’s likely that pick is meant for San Antonio which is where the pause comes in for the Nets. And, for what it’s worth, general manager Sean Marks sounds as though he is ready to continue giving Simmons as much time as he needs to get healthy.

Marks’ comments about training camp could suggest that he is aware of Simmons’ value being at a low point. Or he could want to make sure he gets something out of the player he traded James Harden for.

“If the Spurs demanded a first-rounder in exchange for all the cap relief they’d be giving the Nets, it wouldn’t be out of bounds,” Hughes continues. “If Brooklyn determined Simmons’ worth was too low to trade him at all, and that it might be better to wait and see if improved health opens up the market at the 2024 deadline, that might also be sensible.”

There has been word of potential interest from the San Antonio side.

“I have heard that the Spurs have an interest in Simmons, and they could be a third team in a deal, but you would have to give them picks to get that done, and that won’t be easy,” one NBA executive told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney.

Sean Marks Being Patient About Next Direction

Head coach Jacque Vaughn struggled to find ways to maximize or even play Simmons at times this past season and went so far as to challenge the 6-foot-11 playmaker to play with more force when he was on the floor.

Vaughn received a multi-year contract extension before the end of the season.

If Simmons’ value is as low as it seems, it would behoove him and the Nets to figure it out when he gets back on the floor.

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to go big-game hunting this offseason and could have a specific target – or targets – in mind.

“They’ll be looking for a scorer, a true No. 1 option,” one Eastern Conference GM told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney. “We’ll have to see who becomes available but they will get in the mix…Pascal Siakam, they would have to have interest there.”

General manager Sean Marks pumped the breaks on pursuing a star. But Brooklyn’s interest in Siakam dates back to at least this past trade deadline. Amid the scramble of trying to replace Kyrie Irving and appease Kevin Durant, rumors emerged the Nets had engaged in trade talks with the Toronto Raptors. Additionally, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that the Nets were a team to keep an eye on for Siakam

He was a potential trade candidate this past season, per Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report.

Siakam, 29, is heading into the final year of a four-year, $137 million contract. He is being realistic with Toronto suffering a disappointing season and failing to even make the playoffs.

The 6-foot-9 forward is coming off the second All-Star appearance this past season after averaging career highs with 24.2 points and 5.8 assists adding 7.8 rebounds.

Rival GM Pours Cold Water on Damian Lillard Rumors

“If it is [Portland Trail Blazers star Damian] Lillard. … Portland will have better offers in a trade if they go that route,” the GM said. “Now, if Dame goes to them and wants to go to the Nets, that might change things. But other teams can outbid Brooklyn with the pieces they have.”

Rumors of Lillard potentially requesting a trade from the Blazers and landing with the Nets have gained steam separately only to converge following a recent appearance at the Nets’ Game 3 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at the Barclays Center. He is also close with and a big fan of Nets forwards Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson.

But the Bleacher Report NBA insider Chris Haynes offered up another reality check for fans that are holding hope that a deal for Lillard will come down the pipeline.

“He told me he went there for some meetings, and he went there for some musical project he’s working on,” Haynes said on the ‘#thisleague UNCUT’ podcast on April 24. “Also, Mikal Bridges, that’s a really good friend of his. And he said he went out there to support him. And this was his first NBA game attending as a professional player.”

Lillard, 32, is owed over $216 million over the next four years. The Nets might need to get their own house in order before trying to raid another organization anyway.

Nets First Order of Business: Get Ben Simmons Healthy

“They’re not going to get that level of player with just picks, without giving up talent,” the GM tells Deveney. “They need to get somebody to believe that Ben Simmons can still be a star. That’s not going to be easy, you know.”

Simmons has been out since the All-Star break, getting shut down for the season on March 28 after dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired back.

The timeline for his particular procedure is 18 months.

Simmons – a lightning rod for criticism for myriad reasons – tried to return to the floor less than one year later. He has gotten numerous votes of support, perhaps none more notable than from Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. who related Simmons’ recovery to his lengthy return to action calling for patience in the process.

Still, the Raptors could be the team willing and able to take on such a massive gamble both on the court and on the books.

“The Raptors had interest in Simmons in 2021 when the 76ers were shopping him,” wrote Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. “Though Scottie Barnes’s emergence would make Simmons a strange fit as they’re both non-shooters, he does count as a buy-low, high-value target who could restore his career in time.”

Simmons is still owed $78 million over the final two seasons of his five-year, $177 million contract. He averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 42 appearances in 2022-23 after sitting out the entirety of the 2021-22 season.

This season has been a major disappointment for Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons. Simmons has never been a volume scorer, as his career average of 14.7 points per game will show, but this season he is scoring less than half of that, averaging just 6.9 points and more than two turnovers per game. As the Nets transition out of the superstar era, Simmons could be the next player on the trading block.

One NBA executive told Heavy’s Sean Deveney that the San Antonio Spurs have “an interest” in being a part of a blockbuster deal for Simmons that would ultimately land star point guard Damian Lillard on the Nets.

“I have heard that the Spurs have an interest in Simmons, and they could be a third team in a deal, but you would have to give them picks to get that done, and that won’t be easy,” the executive said to Deveney. “But the Spurs could be a third team to make a Simmons- [Damian] Lillard deal work.”

Sean Marks Sounds off on Kevin Durant Trade

The Nets’ decision to trade Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant at this year’s trade deadline is still an equation many are trying to figure out. Especially with the Nets currently staring down the barrel of an 0-3 deficit, something that no team in NBA history has been able to overcome.

But according to Nets general manager Sean Marks, when Kyrie demanded a trade once it was clear the Nets were not going to offer him a long-term extension, the Nets’ front office knew that Durant skipping town was inevitable and it was time for Brooklyn to look towards the future.

“We knew the end of an era was upon us. When Kyrie had already moved, the discussions with Phoenix heated up and it became real, like ‘All right, well, there’s a shift happening here, right? Are we resetting, retooling, or rebuilding? We were able to come to terms with that knowing that the package we were getting back in return was something that has a clear pathway,” Marks told ESPN.

“We’ve never sort of had a group of young guys before that were under contract, proven, healthy and you can see a pathway of, ‘Hey, I can see what this may look like in two, three years from now.’ … Not just Mikal but all of them, where do they all take their games to? Who’s the next person that takes that leap?”

Nets Sharpshooter Praises Mikal Bridges

As painful as it must have been for Nets fans to see both Durant and Irving depart at the trade deadline, they did get one heck of a consolation prize in Mikal Bridges. Bridges carried the Nets into the postseason. Full stop. He averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.

Those numbers have stayed intact during the playoffs, as the Nets star is averaging 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game this postseason. Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris says that despite Bridges’ star growing bigger by the day, he is one of the humblest players in the league.

“[He is] Obviously an incredible player, but just the fact that he’s a down-to-earth, humble, engaging guy,” Harris told ESPN.

“The first time he comes into the facility, he’s just going up, introducing himself to everybody. Obviously, it’s the small stuff that you would think that everybody does, but it sometimes is not the reality.”

This coming offseason could bring significant changes to the Brooklyn Nets roster.

“The Nets would be wise trying to package [Ben] Simmons in a blockbuster deal, as his sizable salary would be much easier to stomach if packaged with multiple draft picks and prospects,” argues Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report. “Portland, a team lacking obvious direction at the moment, would exit this swap with a readymade rebuilding kit in hand.”

Nets Get:

• Damian Lillard
• Jusuf Nurkic

Blazers Get:

• Patty Mills
• Royce O’Neale
• Day’Ron Sharpe
• Ben Simmons
• Cam Thomas
• 2025 1st Rd Pick (via PHX)
• 2027 1st Rd Pick (via PHX)
• 2029 1st Rd Pick

“Simmons looks like someone in need of a total reset,” writes Buckley. The same could be said of the Portland Trail Blazers, who are ostensibly trying to win big with 32-year-old Damian Lillard but just tanked their way to a second consecutive lottery appearance.

“Maybe Simmons and the Blazers are right for each other.”

Lillard, a noted fan of Nets swingman Mikal Bridges, has ramped up the pressure on the Blazers’ front office to figure out a direction, suggesting that he may have to make a tough decision if they fail to do so.

The seven-time All-Star averaged a career-best 32.2 points while knocking down 37.1% of his threes adding 7.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and nearly 1.0 steals per game. He has also dealt with injuries in each of the last two seasons and is owed more than $216 million over the next four years taking him through his age-36 season.

Nurkic could be intriguing at 6-foot-11 and listed at a bulky 290-pounds.

Not only would Nurkic provide some much-needed size – current starter Nic Claxton is listed at just 215 pounds, but he also provided a more diverse offensive skill set.

The 28-year-old pivot averaged 13.3 points, 9.1 boards, and 2.9 assists. He also fell just short of averaging 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals but did expand his range knocking down 36.1% of a career-high 2.3 triples per game.

Nurkic is going into the third year of a four-year, $70 million pact.

The Nets Wouldn’t Be Giving Up Much

Of the non-Simmons pieces that Brooklyn is giving up, only Thomas, 22, would figure to be in their long-term plans otherwise but he’s had a tough time earning minutes under head coach Jacque Vaughn who has publicly called for more than scoring from the former 27th-overall pick. Thomas, for his part, has said little in the way of making waves about his lack of playing time.

“That’s not in my control,” he said after the regular season finale via NBA.com. “That’s [the coaching staff’s] decision. So I don’t know.”

O’Neale, 29, has been a useful piece. But he was brought in for a previous iteration of the Nets and, while he could be of use as a defender to a team with Lillard, parting with an aging role player going into the final year of his contract.

Mills, 33, made 40 appearances including two starts this season but his greatest value at this point of his career is as a trade chip thanks to his $6.8 million cap hit in 2023-24.

Sharpe, 21, is in a similar boat as Thomas – not quite ready to contribute in the postseason.

Nets Get Positive Update on Ben Simmons

Simmons, 26, has not played since before the All-Star break and ended a disappointing first season in Brooklyn with just 42 appearances after sitting out all of last season.

Even when he was active this past season, he did not look anything like his former All-Star self. The 6-foot-10 playmaker averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while still showing the same reluctance to attack on offense. He was finally shut down on March 28 after experiencing inflammation in his back.

Simmons is less than one year removed from having a microdiscectomy performed on his back, a procedure which can take up to 18 months to fully recover from, to which Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has attested.

The good news is that there does not appear to be any need for another procedure at this time, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post citing sources with knowledge of the situation.

To Simmons’ credit, he tried to give it a go after just under five months of recovery, potentially leading to some of the medical issues he experienced this season. But his performance still left a lot to be desired and, with over $78 million owed to him over the next two seasons, trying to move his deal is not the worst idea.

Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons will not be joining his current team, the Brooklyn Nets, as they take on his former team in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. However, according to Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer, his absence from the series could very well work against the Sixers.

“The Nets might be better off without a guy like that…from a pure basketball standpoint,” Sielski said. “Sure, when they began the season, they had Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Simmons and the hope that those three could carry them on a deep playoff march. But that hope faded fast, and the Nets traded Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, and now they have a more balanced approach on offense, especially now that Simmons isn’t in there to gum up the works.”

Sielski asked Sixers head coach Doc Rivers about how Simmons’ absence would impact the series, to which Rivers didn’t mince words.

“I’m not touching that,” Rivers said. “No thank you. I’ll pass. He’s not part of the playoffs, so we shouldn’t talk about him.”

Rivers coached Simmons for one season before the latter made his trade request the following summer in 2021.

James Harden’s Production Called Into Question

Michael Pina of The Ringer previewed every single first-round matchup in the 2023 NBA Playoffs – though two of them have yet to be officially set in stone. When he got to the Sixers’ upcoming series against the Nets, Pina questioned whether James Harden would be ready to go after his enigmatic performance toward the end of the season.

“Harden missed six of Philadelphia’s final 11 games,” Pina said. “In the ones he suited up for, Harden was up and down (by the extremely high standards he’s previously set) while reportedly dealing with a sore Achilles that, per Rivers, is now all better.”

Pina then explained what he believes could happen if Harden plays hurt.

“How healthy is Harden? And if he’s not, are the Sixers in trouble? The Nets have a swarming defense that’s full of long, physical on-ball defenders who will do their damnedest to neutralize a Harden–Joel Embiid pick-and-roll by switching, helping, blitzing, and executing a diverse game plan. Brooklyn also has the personnel to stay in front and bother Harden in isolation. Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, and Nic Claxton are all more than capable of surviving on an island, especially during minutes when Embiid is on the bench.”

Spencer Dinwiddie Believes Nets Match Up Well With Sixers

On an appearance on FanDuel TV, Spencer Dinwiddie said that he believes that the Nets can beat the Sixers if they slow down Embiid.

“Embiid is the likely MVP, so obviously, we’re going to have to give it everything we got in terms of stopping him,” Dinwiddie told Fanduel TV. “But to be honest, out of the major seeds, we probably match up with them the best if we can limit him and not foul him.”

Dinwiddie also believes there’s one flaw the Sixers have that the Nets can exploit.

“We feel like defensively, there’s ways we can attack them as well. Mikal (Bridges) is playing at a high level. We know they don’t exactly get back in transition. We want to play fast, we’re young. We understand there’s no expectations. We like our chances, to be honest.”

One Brooklyn Nets star has set the not-so-shining example of how to get out of one’s current situation in the NBA.

“The [Dallas] Mavericks are not going there, and everyone knows it,” a Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney. “There is just no way. The only way he can force a trade is to sit out like Ben Simmons did and anyone who knows anything about Luka [Doncic] knows he is not going to do that. There’s just no way.”

Doncic fueled speculation that he could seek a trade with a very dour press conference in which he noted that he was not experiencing the same joy on the basketball court as he once did but he also noted that it was due to matters off the court.

But the rumors have persisted.

So much so that he had to address the matter in an attempt to put the rumors to bed and assert his allegiance to the Mavs.

Signed through the 2027 season on a five-year, $215 million contract, Doncic has little leverage now. But to the executive’s point, we have seen players throw their weight around when that deal is one or two years in. After the Mavericks made the costly investment to land Kyrie Irving from the Nets only to find themselves out of the playoffs, some dissatisfaction would be understandable.

Alas, any teams hoping to move on Doncic this coming offseason or the next are out of luck.

That includes the Nets who were floated as a potential landing spot for the four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection.

“There is definitely a thought process of this happening eventually, and it being a matter of when and not if,” the executive told Deveney. “But the truth is, we were saying that about Giannis [Antetokounmpo], too, and that certainly changed. Bradley Beal, guys like that—there is no reason to think that Luka is bolting for the door. Not yet, at least.”

Ben Simmons’ Saga On Another Downturn

Simmons’ timeline has been on a downward trajectory since the 2021 postseason when he passed up a layup over smaller Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young while still a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

There was still time in the game after that but Philly lost and the blame went to that moment.

Simmons would miss the entire 2021-22 season with a back injury and a contract holdout over mental health issues before getting traded for James Harden who had grown disenchanted in Brooklyn.

Fast forward to now and Simmons has been out since the All-Star break but had only appeared in 42 of a possible 58 games going in before getting shut down on March 28.

The remaining two years and $78-plus million left on his contract are a potential albatross.

The good news is that none of what has happened during Simmons prolonged recovery from microdiscectomy in May of 2022 has been unexpected and he remains projected to be fully healthy for next season.

Nets Could Land a Different $215M Star

Doncic may not be available but the same apparently cannot be said with 100% certainty about Young.

“With the offseason approaching, league sources say the Hawks’ front office has the green light from ownership to do whatever it wants to with the roster, which includes considering trade opportunities involving All-Star point guard Trae Young,” wrote Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer on April 10. “Regardless of Trae’s desire to stay, it could be the Hawks that decide to change course following a likely early exit from the play-in or the postseason.”

There is a healthy amount of skepticism about how imminent a deal is relative to the tone with which the idea is presented by O’Connor.

Hawks ownership has given the front office free rein over personnel.

A deal here seems unlikely as well, even if it’s potentially more likely than Doncic ever coming available may be.

The Brooklyn Nets aren’t being given much of a chance to win their first-round playoff matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, set to begin on April 15.

One key piece from their opponent, backup big man Paul Reed, is giving due respect to a point.

“I think they’re a good team,” Reed said per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire on April 10. “They switch a lot which I like I can use that to my advantage with the way I play. Defensively, I feel like—tonight they didn’t have a full roster so we didn’t really get their best look, but in the times we played them previously, we’ve been able to handle them pretty well. I think we got the better team, to be honest, and we should be able to come out and get the win.”

It is hard to disagree with Reed’s assessment – the Nets went 0-4 against Philadelphia during the regular season including a 134-105 loss to end the slate, albeit with both teams resting most of their key players for this very series.

Still, things have not gone well for Brooklyn despite slowing down big man Joel Embiid (relatively speaking) who is a handful for everyone.

He averaged 31.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in his two appearances in the series.

Brooklyn was able to hold him below his season average in points and efficiency which should count for something as they look to force Emiid’s supporting cast to beat them. Of course, that cast includes James Harden who put together an All-Pro-caliber season averaging 21 points and over 10 boards per game after forcing his way out of Brooklyn last year.

Harden averaged 26 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.5 boards in two appearances against his former team to whom he has wasted no opportunity to say “told you so”.

Paul Reed: Sixers ‘Have Better Team Chemistry’ This Season

“I’m super excited,” Reed added. “I feel like this year is gonna be a much better year for us as a team to excel because we have better team chemistry, team dynamic now, and I feel like we can really make it to the finals.

Brooklyn got Ben Simmons in return for Harden and the experience has been rough.

Reed’s comments were probably unrelated but it wouldn’t be the first time a former teammate has noted the better vibe around the team with Simmons out of the picture for good.

Simmons, sidelined since the All-Star break, had failed to live up to his contract when healthy, presenting head coach Jacque Vaughn with even more challenges. The three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive Team selection was ultimately shut down on March 28 due to back inflammation after just 42 games this season.

As much of a threat as Harden is, it is still a better plan to force a 33-year-old Harden to beat you than to let Emiid run roughshod.

Former Nets Assistant Highlights Potential X-Factor

If it isn’t Embiid or Harden, the Nets still have to worry about another dynamic Sixers star in Tyrese Maxey.

Maxey averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in two games against the Nets.

If there is one thing the Nets can hang their hats on going into this series where they seem overwhelmingly overmatched, it is that the Sixers won both of the games with all three of Embiid, Harden, and Maxey by a combined seven points.

After missing the playoffs the year after going all the way to the Western Conference finals, there’s uncertainty surrounding Luka Doncic‘s future with the Dallas Mavericks. However, because Doncic is eligible for a lucrative $215 million contract extension, a trade does not appear likely in the near future.

A Western Conference executive explained to Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney why a trade isn’t likely while also using former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons as an example of the only way Doncic could force a trade.

“The Mavericks are not going there, and everyone knows it,” the exec told Deveney. “There is just no way. The only way he can force a trade is to sit out like Ben Simmons did, and anyone who knows anything about Luka knows he is not going to do that. There’s just no way.”

As many know, Simmons sat out throughout the last season he was with the Sixers – 2021-22 – until he was traded, among others, to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.

Even though the exec does not believe Doncic will ask, he says the clock is ticking on the Mavericks.

“(The Mavericks) have a few more years and they gotta get their s*** together,” the exec said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Proposed Trade Swaps Tyrese Maxey For Luka Doncic

In light of the Mavericks’ struggles this season, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked the likelihood of all other 29 teams getting their hands on Doncic and separating teams into tiers with the higher number being the least likely.

The Sixers were in Quinn’s sixth tier, which was labeled,“Lack either the assets or the star power,” and were ranked no. 22 overall. Quinn previewed what a potential trade would look like between the Sixers and Mavericks.

“The 76ers could at least offer Tyrese Maxey to Dallas, but that really only gets them past the first three teams in this tier,” Quinn said, referring to the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers, all of which were ranked below the Sixers.

Quinn added that the Sixers’ lack of assets would hurt their chances of getting Doncic.

“The 76ers have spent most of their picks. James Harden will either be on an enormous contract or the Houston Rockets by the time these negotiations come to pass. They just don’t have enough to pair Doncic with Joel Embiid.”

Kevin Garnett Sends Strong Message to Ben Simmons

In light of the news that Simmons season-ending injury, NBA Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett sent a message to Simmons urging him to re-discover his love for basketball.

“Ben Simmons, man, if you’re listening, I want you to go back and find your roots. Go back and find why you love playing the game. You got a lot to give to the game, bro,” Garnett said on the April 2 episode of his “Ticket & the Truth” show. “If your heart ain’t in it, it is what it is. I hate to say that. I think he got another run in him, but it’s going to have to be Ben Simmons, bro. It’s going to have to be him.”

Garnett also added how much he believes in Simmons’ potential as a player, but he has to show it on the court.

“I wanna see the dude get back to killing, man. We ain’t even see Ben Simmons with the [jumper]! We ain’t see if Ben Simmons two dribble, pull up, left for high, off the glass, like, he got [another] whole f****** level. It hurt me to see them shut him down, but he gotta come back and he gotta give us something.”

The Brooklyn Nets have the ammo to get into the potential running for Luka Doncic amid fears he is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Dallas Mavericks.

But should general manager Sean Marks really do what it might take to potentially strike a deal?

“We know the Nets have a trade package worthy of a superstar because they just got that package from Phoenix in the Kevin Durant deal,” writes Sam Quinn of CBS Sports. “Yes, the Nets could probably enter the bidding war with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, all of those Suns picks and perhaps a few sweeteners of their own like Nic Claxton and the Philadelphia and Dallas picks they are owed from other trades. At that point, though, the Nets just wouldn’t have enough left over to actually convince Doncic to stick around.”

Brooklyn received four unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029) and a swap option in 2028 along with Bridges and Johnson who have both lived up to or exceeded expectations since arriving.

They also got one unprotected first-rounder from the Mavericks for Kyrie Irving along with a pair of second-rounder and – even more significantly – Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith.

The player loss has been substantial for Dallas who have gone 10-17 since making the trade.

Luka Doncic Could Want Out of Dallas

“There’s a strong sense of urgency within the organization to expedite the process before Doncic loses faith in the Mavs’ ability to build a contender around him,” reported Tim MacMahon of ESPN on April 8. “Team sources have acknowledged…that fear exists that Doncic, who publicly and privately expressed extreme frustration this season, could consider requesting a trade as soon as the summer of 2024 if Dallas doesn’t make significant progress by then.”

Doncic is in the first year of a five-year, $215 million contract that has him locked up through the 2026 season with a player option for the final year in 2027.

He would not be the first player to sign that extension and then demand a trade, however.

Brooklyn’s own Ben Simmons found himself in a similar situation, although the circumstances that led up to his trade request were vastly different than the situation Doncic seems to have found himself in after pushing for the deal to bring Irving to Dallas in the first place.

Dallas is also under investigation for pulling the four-time All-Star who played fewer than 13 minutes against the Bulls after which Mavs head coach Jason Kidd all but admitted to tanking.

The loss eliminated the Mavs from playoff contention and could help keep their draft pick.

To Quinn’s point, Doncic could very well be on the table and the Nets may very well have the assets to make things interesting. But that is at least one year out and the Nets could have something sooner than that given how Bridges has progressed as the regular season has come to a close.

Nets Postseason Success Could Determine Future Plans

Bridges is locked up through 2026 but there are other decisions that must be made this summer not the least of which is Johnson’s looming restricted free agency.

They face an even more immediate challenge in the Philadelphia 76ers.

Brooklyn went 0-4 against Philly during the regular season and don’t have an answer for MVP-hopeful Joel Embiid. They will have to throw their plethora of perimeter defenders on the likes of James Harden, Tobias Harris, and Tyrese Maxey and hope for the best from there.