NBA Trade Rumors: Are the Brooklyn Nets open to moving Ben Simmons…now?
As one of the biggest disappointments of the early season, the Brooklyn Nets are probably a team that will try to shake up the roster one way or another. It may not be a big splash that the front office is looking for, but something needs to be changed in an attempt to spark this team.
If that doesn’t happen with the head-coaching change, it will almost certainly have to come via a potential trade.
According to a recent report, in an attempt to inquire about a veteran shooter (described as a Western Conferene player), an interesting happened. Ben Simmons’ name came up as a potential trade candidate. It’s not known if it was done in a serious manner or if it was simply exploratory. Either way, it is an interesting wrinkle that has now been added to the Nets’ early-season drama.
Ben Simmons has struggled this season
To say that Ben Simmons has struggled to start the season would be a huge understatement. Through the first eight games of the season, Simmons is averaging just six points on 44 percent shooting from the field and 47 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
He’s been solid at times defensively and as a playmaker but it’s quite clear that he’s become a shell of the player he used to be. The hope is that some of that begins to wear off and it could be chalked up as rust, but at this point, the Nets have to have serious questions about his confidence.
I’m not saying that is the reason why the Nets could eventually move on from Simmons but it’s probably something that the front office will have to consider at some point if they haven’t already.
Overall, the Nets have struggled this season, at 2-6, and maybe that’s why the spotlight has been even brighter on Simmons’ struggles so far this season. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, considering how talented he is, but his start to the season is as concerning as Brooklyn’s is as a whole.
I’m not sure what the next step is, but I don’t think you can completely count out a potential trade of Simmons. And this recent report certainly echoes that. The Nets are too good and too talented to be this bad. Something has to change.