More than three weeks into the NBA season, the Nets, like the 76ers, struggled. But the difference is that the 76ers are still spinning in place, and the Nets are already starting to get on track. When Nash led the team, the team was 2-5, and after assistant coach Jacques Vaughn took over and was promoted, the team had a 4-2 record. Winning is certainly not the most important thing, because in these 6 games, the Nets are the first in the defensive league at the same time, Durant's playing time has been slowly reduced, and almost everyone is contributing. In Durant's own words, we have a really great team atmosphere right now. Indeed, Jacques Vaughn is really a low-key powerhouse, and dares to let Sumner into the starting lineup, which is bold. Of course, in the midst of the laughter, there was one person who seemed out of place, as if an outsider, and he was Simmons. My opinion is: food is tasteless, and no one has picked it up yet.
This starts with Nash. At the pre-season media meeting, a reporter asked Nash how to match the Big Three, Nash's attitude is clear, they are all starters, and Simmons' defense will greatly improve the team. Simmons started during Nash's coaching, averaging 6 points + 6.5 rebounds + 7 assists per game, and every time Nash mentioned Simmons after the game, he was giving him a reason, making excuses, including Durant and Irving, they can only prevaricate when facing reporters, vague, no one knows what Simmons means to the team. He is on the floor, plus Claxton, the two have no shooting ability, the basket is crowded, Durant can't get in, there is no defensive attraction after blocking, Durant, Irving, who and Simmons block, who must be clipped! Even so, Nash has to start Simmons, and it looks like Nash should be a starting lineup compared to the annual salary arrangement, after all, Simmons earns $35.45 million a year this season.
When Nash left class, Simmons was recovering from injury, and when he returned, he found that the Nets' sky had changed! Assistant coach Jacques Vaughan is an extremely strict coach, even if the team wins, he will blame himself after the game, and will apologize to Durant, saying that he has used him for too long and try to avoid this in the future. After Simmons returned, he started from the bench and played the Lone Ranger, shooting 1 of 3 in 16 minutes, scoring 2 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists; played the Knicks, played 24 minutes (more garbage time), scored 6 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists on 3-of-6 shooting; Playing for the Clippers, Simmons played only 14 minutes, scoring 2 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists on 1-of-2 shooting. After three games, a total of 10 points were scored, averaging 3.3 points per game! Simmons himself is still confident in this performance: "I feel like my leg injury is coming back, my form is improving every day, and it's great to be able to see my own improvement." ”
He's an outsider to the Nets right now, just to name two. In a recent game with the Clippers, Simmons partnered Mills + Thomas + Curry Jr. + Johar played the connecting section, Simmons dribbled through the halftime several times, and then handed the ball to Thomas, Simmons was in the inside card position, or signaled an empty connection, Thomas ignored it! Thomas pressed the time and would rather force his own shot, rather throw Johar or Curry Jr. to throw the pot ball, than Simmons. In the second example, Simmons recently came off the bench and played time in the second and first half of the fourth quarter, and after he took the ball through the half, he handed hands and teammates to complete the block, and then pulled to the weak side to look at the scenery, watched his teammates run to attack the frame, and watched his teammates pull out space to shoot three-pointers. In fact, it is really not that Jacques Vaughn does not give Simmons a chance, and if he does not have the desire to break through with the ball, no one can save him.
In the 97 minutes that Claxton and Ben Simmons were on the floor at the same time this season, the Nets' net efficiency value per 100 rounds was -12.93, while when Claxton was alone, the Nets' net efficiency value per 100 rounds was +15.18! You must know that Claxton has played the league's top defensive performance this season (defensive contributions are in the top three in the league, and the Nets have Claxton and Durant in the top ten). In the 6 games after Jacques Vaughn took office, the Nets had a 4-2 record, conceded an average of only 94 points per game, and had a net win score of +12.8 points! Obviously, the problem lies with Simmons, Irving's absence will also boost the energy of role players, but taking Simmons, consolidating Durant's core position, next to Durant, inside gate Claxton, with three shooter roles, that's enough! I even have a feeling that if Yuta Watanabe returns, Simmons is likely to be thrown into the cold.
This is where Simmons is now, and to put it bluntly, he is the biggest enemy of this Nets and Durant. Nash didn't dare to move, because he didn't want to move Simmons at all, after all, the annual salary is there, and he is still the identity of the former champion, at least playing at the All-Star level. Jacques Vaughn is barefoot and not afraid to wear shoes, he doesn't care how long he can stay in the Nets coach, but as long as he stays for one day, it will definitely require the team to improve. The Nets' total salary this season is close to $180 million, Irving and Simmons account for 71 million, without them, the Nets play as well, Durant is also easy, role players also have plenty of room to rise, as long as there is performance, anyone has a chance to play. And Simmons is precisely the outsider who occupies the position.
If Boss Cai gives Jacques Vaughn enough rights to ignore outside perceptions and attitudes, and move forward in the right way for the team, this Nets really has a good chance to attack the championship this season. But then again, Durant still needs help, Irving needs to play performance and value in a contract year, and Simmons has 3 years left on his contract. Send Simmons away as soon as possible, if the Nets had decided to let Nash out of class earlier, perhaps the Nets would have won a championship in the past two seasons.