That ranks as one of the most potent offenses in the Eastern Conference.īut the exact same lineup with Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe instead of Joe Harris has struggled to score, and it doesn’t exactly take an advanced NBA scout to figure out why: Spacing. He played center during the first round of the playoffs in 2019, and he looked so good:Įven if those numbers are a result of a small sample size where he could eventually regress to the mean, there is still some reason for optimism.īrooklyn’s lineups with Kyrie Irving, Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, Kevin Durant, and Simmons (the de facto big man) have scored 127.0 points per 100 possessions. On the offensive side of the floor throughout the course of his NBA career, including his minutes in the postseason, Simmons has averaged 22.9 points and 10.9 assists per 100 possessions when playing either as the guard or the forward.īut in the 8.4 percent of possessions that he has played at the center, those numbers have spiked to a whopping 43.0 points and 13.6 assists per 100. For comparison, Simmons only defended opposing big men for 6.5 percent of possessions in 2019-20 and 7.6 percent of possessions in 2020-21.īased on what we have seen from Simmons when playing center in the past, the success could continue as he gets more comfortable. Simmons is currently defending centers on a career-high 16.6 percent of his total possessions, per NBA.com. Years later, no longer playing with generationally-talented center Joel Embiid, we’re finally beginning to see that evolution for Simmons on the Nets. He could do everything that Draymond does while also averaging 20 to 25 points a game.” He wouldn’t have to become a role player. Spending time at the 5 is even more important for Simmons because he can’t shoot. Draymond wouldn’t be anywhere near as valuable on a team that played only conventional lineups. A player can be only as good as the role that he is used in. He could be a bigger and more athletic version of Draymond Green with more scoring ability. Simmons would have a counter for everything-he could post up smaller defenders if they switched the screen, roll to the rim and catch lobs against a drop coverage, and make plays in four-on-three situations if they blitzed the screen. That role would unlock the best aspects of his game and keep defenses from sagging off him. “There is a Plan C, one that would move Simmons off the ball and still allow him to contribute on offense: using him as a screener in the pick-and-roll. He was a team-high +19 and it was his best performance of the season.Īlthough long described as a point guard, the concept of Simmons at the five is nothing new or revolutionary. A few years ago, the late Jonathan Tjarks explained why Simmons makes so much sense as a center ( via The Ringer): 20 and he finished the game with 22 points (11-of-13 FGA), 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jacque Vaughn says Ben Simmons will start at center tonight, as well. Now, however, it seems like a permanent position change ought to be on the horizon. There were “ rumblings” that Simmons would play the five and before the season began, Simmons said that he was “ looking forward” to playing center when the matchups called for it. But perhaps they have found a different version of the three-time All-Star. When the Nets acquired Simmons, they thought they were getting the version of him that made First-Team All-Defense in 20. 1 overall pick struggled dramatically to start his tenure in Brooklyn. He also needed to change his position.Īfter missing all of last season and then beginning the 2022-23 campaign with a new team, the former No. It wasn’t just that Ben Simmons needed a few extra games to get his sea legs back underneath him.
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