Ben Simmons fills the playmaking role that James Harden will leave
Lastly, even though Simmons may not offer much consistency on that end, one thing that he does do well is in a playmaking role. In each of his four seasons in the league, Simmons has averaged at least seven assists per game.
Simmons will be able to fill the playmaking role that James Harden will leave. Considering that Kyrie is not a true point guard, Simmons will be able to help on that front. He’s the ideal swap for Harden, even more so when you add in his prowess on the defensive end.
Additionally, Simmons, when aggressive, is one of the most dominant fastbreak attackers in the league. For as great as Harden is in those situations, Simmons can be just as lethal. Many will point to the offense that the Nets will lose by swapping Harden for Simmons, but looking at the whole picture, Simmons may very well be the better fit overall next to Kyrie and Durant.