NBA Rumors: Nets involved in trade talk for acquiring veteran shooter plausibly incorporating Ben Simmons in the trade
Ben Simmons has been off to a slow start this season. With the Brooklyn Nets looking to make changes, the 26-year-old wing has been connected to trade rumors.
According to a report from NBA insider Ian Begley, the Brooklyn Nets had talks with a Western Conference team. Those talks involved a veteran shooter, and Simmons came up as a potential piece in negotiations.
It's become another nightmare of a season for the Brooklyn Nets. Coach Steve Nash was let go on Tuesday, and Kyrie Irving has found himself in controversy again. After Tuesday night's loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Nets find themselves with a 2-6 record.
The hope was that Simmons could mesh with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. His talent was one of the reasons why Brooklyn was willing to roll the dice given his history. He's averaging 6.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
The Brooklyn Nets had been in ‘cursory talks’ with one Western Conference team about a deal that would return a veteran shooter and Ben Simmons' name came up in those talks 👀👀👀
(Via @IanBegley ) https://t.co/DhRjcnfBxB
Brooklyn Nets wing Ben Simmons mentioned in trade rumor
When the Brooklyn Nets acquired Ben Simmons in February, they knew it was a gamble. Simmons was a rising star with the Philadelphia 76ers until a disappointing performance in the 2021 playoffs resulted in Simmons wanting a fresh start.
He made it known to the 76ers organization before the start of last season that he was demanding a trade. Simmons stayed true to his word and was eventually shipped to Brooklyn in the James Harden deal. But after ramping up his efforts to get in game shape, Simmons suffered a number of setbacks.
Injuries and mental health issues resulted in the versatile wing sitting out the remainder of the season. With a full offseason to get prepared, the hope was that Simmons could get back on track. So far, it's been an experiment that hasn't produced in the way the Nets organization had hoped.
While rumors suggest that Ben Simmons was brought up in negotiations, it could simply be business as usual. Teams are always looking for any opportunity to generate the possibility of a present or future transaction. Brooklyn still has the talent to put the pieces together and make a run in the Eastern Conference.
The bigger question will be who will be the man in charge to help the team do so. After Steve Nash's recent firing, Brooklyn is reportedly close to hiring suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
Ime Udoka’s stint as BKN assistant is evidence that he can succeed in an area where past HCs fell short; if/when Udoka hiring is finalized, BKN will face questions about vetting process; prior to Nash firing, BKN had cursory trade talks to add vet shooter: sny.tv/articles/nets-…
If that happens, the front office could want to see what Udoka could do with Simmons and the roster before any drastic decisions are made. Simmons still has the ability to be a defensive weapon. The problem has been that the Nets are struggling from a chemistry perspective.
After Tueday night's 108-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Nets are preparing for a three-game road trip. It will start Friday when Brooklyn takes on the Washington Wizards before facing the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.