The Brooklyn Nets will have an intriguing setup for the 2024-25 NBA season. Brooklyn possesses a plethora of promising young talent with the means to add more prospects in 2025 and beyond. In addition, the Nets have a few veterans who can make a large impact. Former All-Star Ben Simmons is one of those players.
Simmons joined the Nets in February of 2022 part of the blockbuster James Harden-Philadelphia 76ers trade. Simmons did not play for Philly during the 2021-22 season due to a holdout and back injury. However, his arrival to Brooklyn exited fans and provided him a chance to rejuvenate himself.
The 2022-23 season was supposed to be huge for the Nets, as they retained Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving while adding Simmons for more balance in the lineup. Yet, Simmons played just 42 games and had to be shut down a little over halfway through the season due to a back ailment. He gave things another shot in 2023-24, but his back problems persisted and he finished the season with a mere 15 appearances. The former star forward has two key things to address in the last year of his contract with the Nets.
1. Can Ben Simmons stay healthy with Nets during 2024-25 NBA season?
There is no question about Simmons' physical abilities. He is a difference-maker on both ends of the floor. However, his health during his two-year tenure with the Nets is alarming. The absolute biggest question Simmons has to answer going into next season is if he can stay injury-free and on the court.
The minimum number of games required to earn NBA awards is 65. If Simmons can show early that he can play a reliable number of minutes and eventually get to the 65-game mark, he will give himself a chance to make a lasting impact with the Brooklyn Nets.
2. Will Simmons finally assert himself on offense?
One of Ben Simmons' biggest criticisms is his lack of assertion on the offensive end. He averaged a career-low 6.1 points and 4.9 field goal attempts during the 2023-24 season. If he wants to help the Nets remain competitive, Simmons must strive to take and make more shots. Despite his poor three-point shooting history, he has bigger fish to fry. If can focus on being a beast in the paint like he was during his All-Star days, that will be more than enough to help the team.
Simmons' production understandably took a hit when he played with offensively dominant players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. But now that both stars and Mikal Bridges are out of the picture, Simmons should have a greater opportunity to show what he can do. He has proven that he can average a double-digit scoring mark, as he did for the first four years of his career with the 76ers.
It will be interesting to see if Simmons can make a statement in 2024-25 as he approaches the last year of his five-year, $177 million contract. Despite everything he has been through, the borough has his back and is excited for him to help the Nets grow.