Ben Simmons is becoming the biggest liability in NBA history

[Stone]

To me Shams or anyone else loses credibility when they don't name names. For all we know the source could be parking lot attendant.

I'm still giving Ben more time. He just came off surgery and has legit knee issues not to mention he missed the entire last season.

Having Ben come off the bench is the right decision. I am also seeing some green shoots in his overall play.

[NetsWorld]

To me Shams or anyone else loses credibility when they don't name names. For all we know the source could be parking lot attendant.

I'm still giving Ben more time. He just came off surgery and has legit knee issues not to mention he missed the entire last season.

Having Ben come off the bench is the right decision. I am also seeing some green shoots in his overall play.

Look at the timing; look at what Kristin posted on Twitter. Piece together the dots, Shams is a mouthpiece for players, it seems to me like Kyrie leaked this **** to stir stuff up.

[NyCeEvO]

Shams is reporting that the team is getting frustrated with Ben in regards to his availability. Simmons says his knee is a continuing issue.

This entire situation is toxic. KD, Kyrie, Ben...all of this needs to end.

I'd believe it if Woj was reporting it, since he clearly has a relationship with the Nets front office, as well as most other front offices in the league.

Shams has a relationship with players. Maybe there could be some players who feel a certain way about Ben. I remember seeing a game clip of Kyrie yelling at Ben to shoot when he passed to Ben in the paint, but Ben passed it back out. Maybe Kyrie/Kyrie's camp is putting that out there.

But this is all pure speculation. The problem being a team with filled with drama is that reporters can make up or run a story with little evidence, but it would pick up steam because such a story would be 'on brand' for the Nets even it's actually false (e.g. Rich Bucher claiming Ben left a group chat at the end of last season).

Right on cue...

Read on Twitter

[MrDollarBills]

Shams is reporting that the team is getting frustrated with Ben in regards to his availability. Simmons says his knee is a continuing issue.

This entire situation is toxic. KD, Kyrie, Ben...all of this needs to end.

I'd believe it if Woj was reporting it, since he clearly has a relationship with the Nets front office, as well as most other front offices in the league.

Shams has a relationship with players. Maybe there could be some players who feel a certain way about Ben. I remember seeing a game clip of Kyrie yelling at Ben to shoot when he passed to Ben in the paint, but Ben passed it back out. Maybe Kyrie/Kyrie's camp is putting that out there.

But this is all pure speculation. The problem being a team with filled with drama is that reporters can make up or run a story with little evidence, but it would pick up steam because such a story would be 'on brand' for the Nets even it's actually false (e.g. Rich Bucher claiming Ben left a group chat at the end of last season).

Right on cue...

Read on Twitter

Oh hell no. Shams has got to respond to this


Edit: Bro is Kyrie trying to sabotage us for REAL!?

WTF

[Lachiebkn]

Doubt it’s Kyrie. Jumping at shadows.

[DaBolden76]

This article about Ben from Australia is interesting detailing his life until now.

https://amp.smh.com.au/sport/from-our-greatest-basketball-export-to-us-sporting-pariah-can-simmons-bounce-back-20220726-p5b4mm.html

“Young men tend not to discuss such things with their parents, but late last year his mum moved to the US anyway. “There is this perception that if you enjoy all the good stuff, you’ve gotta be prepared for the bad stuff, but this level of relentless hatred was totally disproportionate,” argues Julie Simmons. “I got to a point where I was so enraged, because I felt what they were doing was dangerous and ill-informed and just wrong. It almost became a sport – to pile on and make a joke about it, make a joke of him, but he’s a person. He’s my son.”

In February 2022 Simmons was finally traded to the Brooklyn Nets, to be part of a hoped-for “super team”. He immediately called his mum. “He literally broke down over the phone – ‘Mum, I’m going to Brooklyn’ – and I could hear it in his voice,” she says. “I could hear him take a breath. I could tell he was having a moment. I said, ‘Ben, put it all behind you, honey,’ but, of course, nothing gets put behind you.””

“A back injury came next. Living in New York, he went to run upstairs one day and felt two of the lowest vertebrae in his spine – the L4 and L5 – give way. The pain was immediate. “My whole right side just dropped. I lay down in bed and couldn’t move. Nerve pain all down my leg into my calf. I had a dead foot, dragging my right, which was numb.””

“ And so Simmons is doing his extras, building muscle memory into his routine – bounce twice, spin it, shoot – while the world watches. During a recent open-air practice, the Nets squad had a shooting competition – and Simmons won. He beat the entire team. Yet that same session, he also tossed a casual shot at the ring and missed everything. An airball. Guess which moment went viral?”

[gigantes]

This article about Ben from Australia is interesting detailing his life until now.

https://amp.smh.com.au/sport/from-our-greatest-basketball-export-to-us-sporting-pariah-can-simmons-bounce-back-20220726-p5b4mm.html

“Young men tend not to discuss such things with their parents..."

Thank you!
I'm in a hurry at the moment, but could you elaborate on what Ben's specific issue was, and what the time frame?

Btw, as for the shooting competition, any idea if he was doing it lefty or righty?
I'm still baffled as to why he doesn't revert to his natural (better) hand.
Thx again

[gigantes]

Und, verdammt!
Did Simmons just have a nice throwback game, or..?

[sashaturiaf]

Ben's on the right trajectory, he looked decent against the King's when the whole team looked awful, and the Blazers game has been his best as a Net.

We are at Philly next week, Ben having a good game there would go a long way to exorcising his demons.

[TheNetsFan]

We need to have patience. As much as we're hoping he helps us win this year, Simmons was always a building block with an eye toward the future in a post-KD world. If he can stay healthy, expect the upward trajectory to continue. Unfortunately, we need to realistically expect that he'll continue to need rest days due to swelling and soreness as he works back into game shape.

[Eyeamok]

Not a big Simmons fan at all. But the Blazers hacked him twice, at the end of the game, and he went to the line and made 3 out of 4 free throws. That is big.

[NetsWorld]

Not a big Simmons fan at all. But the Blazers hacked him twice, at the end of the game, and he went to the line and made 3 out of 4 free throws. That is big.

Funny how Simmons goes from the guy that was mocking this same Nets team with Dudley on it to them now having his back and protecting him as an organization. Simmons needed a culture like the Nets to reinvent his career; so far this season, the Nets did a great job masking the deficiencies of shooting from him. His only problem has been confidence and being scared. He has to set the tone defensively and has to get in the paint; this is what the Nets want and envisioned of him, it's time for him to take the ball and run with it. Once you do that, everything else that happened in the past about developing a jump shot is no longer relevant. Kudos to Nash/Vaughn/Marks and the players for finally getting this guy to establish a path for himself moving forward.

[Born_Ready]

Chauncey playing hack-a-Ben Simmons didn't faze him one bit. He walked to the FT and handled biz. More clutch than KD at the line.

I kid... I kid....

[bwgood77]

I noticed Simmons put up a nice stat line. I was one who always thought Simmons fit this lineup perfectly either as a point center or staggered with Claxton since he could drive, rebound, pass and defend, but he DID NOT have a good start and I was ready to give up on him, and then he finally does this right when I bench him in fantasy.

Does he look back to himself? Would be nice to see it continue....for his sake and the fanbases.

[TheNetsFan]

I noticed Simmons put up a nice stat line. I was one who always thought Simmons fit this lineup perfectly either as a point center or staggered with Claxton since he could drive, rebound, pass and defend, but he DID NOT have a good start and I was ready to give up on him, and then he finally does this right when I bench him in fantasy.

Does he look back to himself? Would be nice to see it continue....for his sake and the fanbases.

He's getting there. He's still not as fast or as explosive as he used to be. Our TV commentator rightly pointed out that he's still finessing his shots at the rim rather than finishing with power like he used to. I think it's going to take a lot of time for him to be back to what he was physically.

[MrDollarBills]

I noticed Simmons put up a nice stat line. I was one who always thought Simmons fit this lineup perfectly either as a point center or staggered with Claxton since he could drive, rebound, pass and defend, but he DID NOT have a good start and I was ready to give up on him, and then he finally does this right when I bench him in fantasy.

Does he look back to himself? Would be nice to see it continue....for his sake and the fanbases.

He's getting there. He's still not as fast or as explosive as he used to be. Our TV commentator rightly pointed out that he's still finessing his shots at the rim rather than finishing with power like he used to. I think it's going to take a lot of time for him to be back to what he was physically.

I think you're right. Also, a good sign is now he's positioning himself for post ups and isn't as quick to get rid of the ball anymore. He looks more comfortable

[GTR11]

I noticed Simmons put up a nice stat line. I was one who always thought Simmons fit this lineup perfectly either as a point center or staggered with Claxton since he could drive, rebound, pass and defend, but he DID NOT have a good start and I was ready to give up on him, and then he finally does this right when I bench him in fantasy.

Does he look back to himself? Would be nice to see it continue....for his sake and the fanbases.

He's getting there. He's still not as fast or as explosive as he used to be. Our TV commentator rightly pointed out that he's still finessing his shots at the rim rather than finishing with power like he used to. I think it's going to take a lot of time for him to be back to what he was physically.

I think you're right. Also, a good sign is now he's positioning himself for post ups and isn't as quick to get rid of the ball anymore. He looks more comfortable

Without Kyrie in the locker and on the court, there's no point trying to understand what this team can or will be.

As funny as this can sound. I think Ben will be biggest beneficiary if Kyrie can stay committed. In no world teams will be leaving our shooters even though they've been struggling.

Need to see how Nic going to adjust though. He just can't fit in with team while Ben on the court. In spite of that, we still in good shape here. Line ups of Nic/Ben, Yuta, Royce -> Nic, KD, Yuta/Royce-> KD, Yuta and Ben all plus on D. Very little sample size, but eye test says it will/can get better.

[NetsWorld]

Marks just turned the burner up on the Nets asses via Woj. ND already posted an article about it as well. This next month will determine whether Nets stay the course or rebuild. And before anyone panics, obviously it will be based on their performance. Nets better reel off 10-11 straight wins. FTR, rebuild in todays game, thankfully, isn’t a true rebuild per se but rather a reset; why you may ask? Too much talent around the league and many players impact the game in different ways and can score 20 plus PPG. The era of the Kobe’s, Iverson’s, prime LeBron, Wade l, Shaq of limited good players is thankfully
long gone. When the athletic starts talking about players like a Murray and Collins type, those are very talented players which would help the Nets stay competitive.

[GTR11]

Marks just turned the burner up on the Nets asses via Woj. ND already posted an article about it as well. This next month will determine whether Nets stay the course or rebuild. And before anyone panics, obviously it will be based on their performance. Nets better reel off 10-11 straight wins. FTR, rebuild in todays game, thankfully, isn’t a true rebuild per se but rather a reset; why you may ask? Too much talent around the league and many players impact the game in different ways and can score 20 plus PPG. The era of the Kobe’s, Iverson’s, prime LeBron, Wade l, Shaq of limited good players is thankfully
long gone. When the athletic starts talking about players like a Murray and Collins type, those are very talented players which would help the Nets stay competitive.

That's falls to say least. You need top 5 and second fiddle top 20 player to win a chip. Coach is also huge part if you don't have generational talent like LBJ or Bill Russell.

Marks already set reset button in 2024 ( which is mistake imo ) either for retooling or complete rebuild.

[NetsWorld]

Marks just turned the burner up on the Nets asses via Woj. ND already posted an article about it as well. This next month will determine whether Nets stay the course or rebuild. And before anyone panics, obviously it will be based on their performance. Nets better reel off 10-11 straight wins. FTR, rebuild in todays game, thankfully, isn’t a true rebuild per se but rather a reset; why you may ask? Too much talent around the league and many players impact the game in different ways and can score 20 plus PPG. The era of the Kobe’s, Iverson’s, prime LeBron, Wade l, Shaq of limited good players is thankfully
long gone. When the athletic starts talking about players like a Murray and Collins type, those are very talented players which would help the Nets stay competitive.

That's falls to say least. You need top 5 and second fiddle top 20 player to win a chip. Coach is also huge part if you don't have generational talent like LBJ or Bill Russell.

Marks already set reset button in 2024 ( which is mistake imo ) either for retooling or complete rebuild.

One of two things will happen if they don’t look like a contender, either wholesale changes in the off-season or wholesale changes come February. This in essence means a rebuild for one year and half.