When he first arrived in Brooklyn from Toronto, Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schröder wanted to play beside Ben Simmons. Prior to the Nets opening their preseason on Tuesday, Schröder spoke about Simmons and what he believes the former All-Star can provide the team this season as the two players start together.
Nets Point Guard Excited to Finally Play With 3x NBA All-Star
Dennis Schröder Looks Forward to Playing with Ben Simmons
It has been quite some time since the NBA has seen a healthy Ben Simmons on the court. Nets teammate and point guard Dennis Schröder couldn’t be more excited, though. Schroder and Simmons will start side by side in Brooklyn’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Simmons, who has suffered nothing but injuries, setbacks, and otherwise negative public opinions since joining the Nets in 2022, is at full strength and good to go. The two international players barely saw the floor together due to the Australian forward’s physical ailments last season. Now that the two will finally play together, as Brian Lewis of the New York Post confirmed, Schröder expressed what he sees in Simmons’ game and how each can complement the other.
“He wasn’t healthy the last couple of years, but when he’s healthy, we know what he can do,” Schröder said. “He’s an All-Star-type player, so he’s going to push the ball. (He’s) unselfish. On the defensive end, he’s playing with grit. And that’s what we need here. So, a lot of speed. He can bring it up, I go to the corner. If not, me and him in pick-and-roll, him setting the screen or me setting the screen. I think we can do a lot of things. And today we worked on it, and we try to keep building forward, going forward, try to build. Yeah, we’re going to keep working.”
Who Will Lead at Point Guard?
Considering that both Simmons and Schröder are point guards, a competition would be expected. However, first-time head coach Jordi Fernandez has a better idea: both players will start at the position. This scenerio bares the potential to bode well for both players for different reasons. In Schröder’s case, he is looking to establish himself as the team’s starting point guard in hopes of sticking with the Nets long-term. The German-born player has bounced from team to team in recent years. As for Simmons, sharing the point guard duties might do him some good while easing back into playing basketball again. It will also put pressure on Simmons to play well and give the Nets reason enough to retain him. On the other hand, it will give other teams a look at where Simmons is health and game-wise if they are interested in a mid-season trade involving him.
Schröder has always been a reliable and solid point guard. Both players offer different elements to their games, including size. However, their differences might end up as a positive as it relates to the Nets playing style.
Jordi Fernandez Tasked with Simmons’ Reset
Fernandez is interested in seeing the skillsets of both players simultaneously and working off each other. It will also fall on the former Celtics assistant coach to get the most out of Simmons. Simmons is coming off his most recent injury recovery. Perhaps Schröder can help push the former rookie of the year to find his All-Star game again—you know, the game we saw from Simmons in his early 76ers days before the fall.
The 11-year veteran Fernandez still sees much skill and potential in the fallen superstar and is hopeful that the talent Simmons came into the NBA with will re-emerge in Brooklyn this year. Schröder is of the belief that Simmons is ready to step up.
