Final offseason, the Knicks acquired former Phoenix Suns and Nets star Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal sending 5 first-round picks throughout the bridge to Brooklyn.
A 12 months later, the Knicks are double-dipping into the opposite aspect of the Hudson River: New York has reportedly been protecting tabs on former Nets and Philadelphia 76ers playmaker Ben Simmons. Simmons gained Rookie of the 12 months in 2018, earned All-Star honors in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and ranked top-20 in each assists and steals in every of his first 4 full NBA seasons.
After which got here the again accidents, the coaching camp hold-out, and extra again accidents culminating within the slashing of half of his tried area aim makes an attempt per sport.
Simmons has not averaged greater than 5.6 shot makes an attempt per sport since his remaining 12 months in Philadelphia. He averaged 6.2 factors, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists via 33 video games with the Nets final season, agreed to a contract buyout, then joined the Los Angeles Clippers, the place he averaged an extra 2.9 factors, 3.8 rebounds and three.1 assists per sport in 18 video games off the bench.
But he’s on the Knicks’ radar for his or her remaining veteran’s minimal slot on a roster angling to compete for a championship subsequent season. There’s a case to be made each for and in opposition to Simmons in orange and blue.
WHY SIMMONS IS A GOOD FIT
Simmons didn’t ask to be traded to the Nets — he requested to go away his state of affairs in Philadelphia. He didn’t ask to play alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. And he definitely didn’t ask to hitch a championship contender determined for his manufacturing whereas nursing a again harm. The failure of the Simmons-era Nets falls little on Simmons’ shoulders and extra on the mind belief answerable for assembling the forged.
That is totally different. If Simmons had been to hitch the Knicks, there wouldn’t be many teammates shouting “shoot it, Ben!” at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Simmons wouldn’t be the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh scoring choice on a Knicks crew now stacked with expertise in its beginning 5 and off the bench. The Knicks would merely want him to defend at a excessive stage, crash the glass, push the tempo and make performs for the teammates who’ve their eyes on the underside of the web — and bonus factors if he doesn’t go viral for vogue each different day, as a result of going viral for being in road garments would imply one other unhealthy season from a participant of Simmons’ caliber.
As of final season, the Knicks don’t do unhealthy gamers. They had been the healthiest crew in basketball courtesy of Casey Smith, New York’s VP of Sports activities Medication who left the Dallas Mavericks and stored a beforehand oft-injured Knicks crew on the courtroom final season. Underneath Smith’s lead, Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgical procedure), Landry Shamet (shoulder), Valuable Achiuwa (hamstring), Karl-Anthony Cities (recurring knee) and Kevin McCullar Jr. (knee) all made profitable harm recoveries, and OG Anunoby performed in 74 video games for the primary time since his rookie 12 months.
In becoming a member of the Knicks, Simmons may kill a number of birds with one stone: He may discover a new basketball house on a crew that doesn’t want him to be a focus, for a company with a top-flight medical workers — within the greatest media market on the planet. Oh, and he may assist a crew recent off of a convention finals look get to the NBA Finals. Not unhealthy in any respect.
WHY SIMMONS MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD FIT
The Nets may by no means discover a method to get their offense buzzing in minutes. Simmons shared the ground with Nic Claxton — as a result of the NBA is gone the years the place two non-shooters can share the ground for lengthy stretches at a time. The Knicks have their very own supercharged model of Claxton: Mitchell Robinson, who solely does his scoring in and across the restricted space. Simmons-Robinson minutes would challenge as stifling defensively however go away the Knicks struggling exterior of transition to generate clear offense. Again accidents are additionally fickle: gamers really feel good in the future and are out two-to-three weeks the subsequent. Simmons’ sport relies on explosiveness and athleticism. His offensive assault has already been slashed in half because of the first flurry of accidents.
After which there’s the strain, and make no mistake: the scrutiny Simmons confronted in Brooklyn pales compared to what may very well be ready ought to issues go awry at Madison Sq. Backyard. If Simmons thought the strain in Philadelphia was one thing, that is the closest the Knicks and their fan base have been to a title in additional than a half-century. Simmons cited psychological well being points as his reasoning for holding out in Philadelphia.
New Knicks head coach Mike Brown doesn’t shrink back from the strain, both. Brown notably instructed his star gamers they wanted to be higher behind closed doorways in Sacramento, then reiterated the identical message to the media shortly after.
Ought to the Knicks signal Ben Simmons?
Simmons has choices. He has reportedly been contacted by or has drawn curiosity from the Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings. If Simmons is keen to hitch the Knicks on a minimal contract, he’d be the type of low-risk, high-reward gamble the entrance workplace may make. If issues go left, he’s on a veteran’s minimal and could be traded elsewhere with little problem. And if issues had been to go proper — if Simmons had been to revert again to some semblance of the participant who as soon as drew comparisons to LeBron James— he may very well be the ending piece to assist put the Knicks over the hump not simply within the Jap Convention however in all of basketball in New York’s pursuit of a championship.
