Another season, another stint of inactivity forNOT , the swingman for the Nets. Ben’s agent, Bernie Lee, claims that he is to accountable for the persistent availability issues. Ben has been finding excuses not to play on the floor since he left the 76ers years ago.
“We continue to try and find non-surgical options to allow Ben to move forward on a permanent basis and that is where this is my responsibility and I am [the] one to blame,” said Lee through Ian Begley. “I promised Ben that I would stop at nothing to discover the best resources and experts for him to consult so that he could get past his problems. That was when I started working with him. Obviously,
Although Bernie is right to take a stand for his client, it’s unlikely that anyone would hold him accountable for Ben’s flaws. Although Simmons’ health has presented a significant challenge for his career thus far, it was his choice to pressure the 76ers into trading him and to miss months of action while he had a falling out with Daryl Morey.
Ben joined the Nets with the hopes of winning a championship, but now he’s a shell of the player he once was, the lone survivor of a vanished era. Simmons is averaging 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game on 58.1% shooting this season; his most recent absence is evidence of this.
Ben Simmons was regarded as one of the best young players in the game at one point, having been selected as a three-time All-Star. He averaged an amazing 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists a game on 56% shooting during his prime playing days with the 76ers. In his career, he was twice selected to the All-Defensive team, demonstrating his skill as a defender.
Shooting was Simmons’ main issue from the start. The guy could not shoot more than a few feet beyond the rim, which made him a liability on the floor even with his skills as a creator, finisher, and defender. Every fan could see that Ben’s refusal to even try three-pointers was impeding his game for years.
Everything reached a boiling point during the 76ers’ humiliating loss to the Hawks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. In the series, Simmons infamously missed a clear layup opportunity, and following the game, both Joel Embiid, his co-star, and the coach called him out.
Ben severed his relationship with the team that summer, and it would be months before he returned to the pitch.