“He’s not deemed the savior for this squad, but he kinda is” - Jordan Cornette believes Ben Simmons shouldn’t play this season because of the uncertainty around his health
Ben Simmons has not played since joining the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline in February. Sports analyst Jordan Cornette believes he shouldn't do so until next season.
Ben Simmons has been ruled out for the rest of regular season and the play-in tournament, Nets coach Steve Nash announced. https://t.co/68vPahK9TQ
The Nets (42-38), in eighth place, are fighting for a spot in the playoffs through the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference. On Friday night, they could move up to seventh if they defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37), trying to get homecourt advantage in the Seven-Eight Game.
But the ninth-placed Atlanta Hawks (42-38) and 10th-place Charlotte Hornets (40-39), who hosted the woeful Orlando Magic on Thursday night, are chasing.
Fans are questioning how far they will go. Coming into the season, they were one of the championship favorites. But a lot has changed since then, and the Nets do not look like they can go all the way.
A player who can help change that is Simmons, who is an elite-level defender and facilitator. However, he has not played a single game this season. It might be unwise to throw him into a high-pressure situation like the playoffs, given how his last playoff appearance ended and his college career went.
Many believe his presence will help the Nets achieve a deeper run, but Cornette does not see it. The analyst would prefer if Simmons watches from the sidelines as the Nets try to salvage their season.
"I wouldn't play Ben Simmons at all," Cornette said. "I wouldn't show him at all in this postseason, because it's stacked against them and it's stacked against the Nets in this postseason.
"What do we know about Ben Simmons right now? That he's not in the best mental health space. And also, we now know that his back might be a little bit jacked up, too. He's not deemed the savior for this squad, but he kinda is.
"Because with KD (Kevin Durant) and Kyrie (Irving), two first-ballot Hall of Famers, they can light it up offensively, but they're lacking a defensive component."
Although Cornette acknowledges how much of a boost Simmons can provide defensively, he questions Simmons' health and mentality. After pointing out the Australian's issues with conditioning, mental health and his body holding up, he continued:
"To me, I think, keep this a clean runway. Shelve him off, see what KD and Kyrie can provide, maybe some fireworks, but don't do it with Ben Simmons. It's too late now in the game to throw this guy in in a pressure situation like that."
Having Simmons on the floor would undoubtedly be a boost, but he could also become a liability given the stage.
The Brooklyn Nets will be a stronger unit defensively with Ben Simmons
There is no doubt that the Brooklyn Nets will play better defense with Simmons in the lineup. However, the All-Star guard is not healthy enough to take the court.
Defense has been a major issue for the Nets since they formed a super team halfway through last season with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden. Although they did a great job outscoring their opponents, this saying stands true – defense wins championships.
The Nets made attempts to shore up their defense this season with acquisitions like Paul Millsap, but that did not work out as expected. Simmons' acquisition benefits the Nets, but the 2016 draft's first overall pick needs to get right. It has often been said that players need to have short memories. That is exactly what Simmons needs to forget about his last run with the Philadelphia 76ers.