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The Brooklyn Nets are stuck with Ben Simmons now.
They didn’t have much of a choice when they traded for him, as James Harden wanted to be in Philadelphia, so Simmons had to be a part of the trade compensation.
The upside was there as a former first-overall pick who was still a couple of years away from reaching his prime, but his proneness to get hurt and character issues raised several questions about his future.
Simmons couldn’t even suit up in his first season with the team.
He backed down from making his season debut in a potential elimination game and later admitted to being mentally blocked and struggling with a back injury.
Then, in what was supposed to be a strong comeback, Simmons was even less aggressive offensively and had the worst season of his career, once again sitting out for the better part of the campaign with an injury.
That’s why people started questioning whether he’ll ever live up to his potential and why NBA legend Kevin Garnett wants him to take a deep look in the mirror.
Kevin Garnett on Ben Simmons:
“I want you go back and find your roots. Go back and find why you love playing the game… There’s Melo, Cousins at home, Dwight. There’s n— at home that could be in the league. If your heart ain’t in it, it is what it is.”
(via @shobasketball) pic.twitter.com/iQ49qNwNOE
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 3, 2023
The Big Ticket urged him to try and go back to basics and remember why he fell in love with the game, reminding him that there are plenty of great players who would gladly take his spot on a roster in the blink of an eye.
Simmons’ character issues date back to his days in high school, with college scouts and even national team teammates raising questions about his feel for the game, so that may not change now that there’s no true incentive to play after making all that money already.
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