{"id":114225,"date":"2024-12-30T09:32:51","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T14:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=114225"},"modified":"2024-12-30T09:32:51","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T14:32:51","slug":"ideal-minimum-ben-simmons-nets-scenario-is-now-unlikely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/30\/ideal-minimum-ben-simmons-nets-scenario-is-now-unlikely\/","title":{"rendered":"Ideal Minimum Ben Simmons Nets Scenario Is Now Unlikely"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ben Simmons<\/a>‘ tenure with the Brooklyn Nets has failed to live up to expectations. Acquired in 2022 as part of the James Harden<\/a> trade, Simmons has struggled with injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of offensive aggression. Over 82 games with the Nets, Simmons has averaged<\/a> 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. This season, he is earning $40.33 million<\/a>, the final year of his contract. With that huge salary, he seemed headed for a buyout agreement and his future elsewhere on a veteran minimum deal. However, Ben Simmons tenure on the Nets appears unlikely to end in that manner.<\/p>\n

Ideal Minimum Ben Simmons Nets Scenario Is Now Unlikely<\/h2>\n

Despite Simmons\u2019 expiring deal and potential as a defensive asset, NBA teams have shown little interest in acquiring him. His massive salary, combined with new CBA<\/a> restrictions and second-apron penalties, complicates any trade. The Nets, unwilling to take back long-term contracts, further limit the likelihood of a deal.<\/p>\n

Lack of Buyout Agreement<\/h3>\n

Reports indicate both the Nets and Simmons have no interest<\/a> in a buyout agreement. Simmons, at 28 years old, understands he won\u2019t see another nine-figure contract in his career. He aims to preserve his full salary this season before entering free agency. However, Simmons is most attractive for teams as a veteran minimum<\/a> option after a buyout agreement.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn appears content to let Simmons\u2019 deal expire, positioning the team to have the most cap space<\/a> in the league next offseason. This aligns with their rebuilding strategy, which focuses on flexibility and minimal long-term salary commitments.<\/p>\n

Impact of Schroder\u2019s Trade on Simmons<\/h3>\n

The recent trade<\/a> of Dennis Schroder<\/a> to the Golden State Warriors<\/a> has thrust Simmons into a larger role.<\/a> Over six games since the trade, Simmons has averaged<\/a> 9.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals. As the starting point guard, Simmons has embraced head coach Jordi Fernandez\u2019s challenges and criticisms.<\/p>\n

Now with D’Angelo Russell<\/a> as the only other NBA-caliber point guard on the roster, the Nets appear inclined to evaluate Simmons\u2019 impact this season. They may use his increased responsibilities to assess his long-term fit before making a decision in 2025.<\/p>\n

Barriers to a Trade<\/h3>\n

Trading Simmons requires significant sacrifices from potential suitors. Matching his $40.33 million salary often means giving up multiple valuable contracts. This disrupts team rotations and pushes payrolls higher, potentially triggering hard caps under the CBA.<\/p>\n

Few teams prioritize creating cap space through expiring contracts. Most organizations now focus on trades and internal development rather than building through free agency. Simmons\u2019 trade value diminishes further in this context, making a deal unlikely before the deadline.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn\u2019s Rebuild Takes Priority<\/h3>\n

The Nets remain focused on rebuilding and developing young talent. Players like Cam Johnson <\/a>and Day\u2019Ron Sharpe<\/a> are drawing trade interest. Johnson<\/a>, in particular, holds significant market value, and Brooklyn continues to raise<\/a> their asking price.<\/p>\n

Simmons\u2019 expiring contract provides flexibility for the Nets, but his future with the team remains uncertain. The organization seems willing to evaluate his performance this season before deciding on an extension or parting ways in free agency.<\/p>\n

Ben Simmons Leaving the Nets Appears Unlikely<\/h3>\n

Ben Simmons<\/a> leaving the Brooklyn Nets this season is becoming more unlikely. The trade market for Simmons has collapsed under the weight of his salary, injury history, and limited production. A buyout seems equally unlikely, with both parties favoring patience.<\/p>\n

The Nets are positioned for financial freedom next offseason, and Simmons\u2019 expiring deal plays a crucial role in that strategy. For now, Brooklyn appears willing to see how Simmons performs in an expanded role, leaving his future with the team almost set in stone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ben Simmons‘ tenure with the Brooklyn Nets has failed to live up to expectations. Acquired in 2022 as part of the James Harden trade, Simmons has struggled with injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of offensive aggression. Over 82 games with the Nets, Simmons has averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. This season, he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":114962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,6],"tags":[50219,266,1781,1466,616,307,4390,252,444,4261,4975,1382],"class_list":["post-114225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-nets","tag-2025-nba-free-agents","tag-ben-simmons","tag-cam-johnson","tag-cap-space","tag-cba","tag-dangelo-russell","tag-dayron-sharpe","tag-dennis-schroder","tag-james-harden","tag-nba-buyout","tag-nba-contracts","tag-nba-trade"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114225"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114963,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114225\/revisions\/114963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}