Ben Simmons is not exactly off to a hot start with the Brooklyn Nets. After fouling out in his final preseason and immediately shrugging it off as little more than preseason rust, Simmons proceeded to then foul out in two of his first three regular season games despite playing fewer than 30 minutes in both.
Add in very limited offensive contributions and well... not great!
Since the Nets struck a deal for Simmons in last year's midseason blockbuster that sent James Harden to Philadelphia, much has been made of Simmons' fit alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. In theory, the Aussie's surgical playmaking, relentless transition game, and versatile defense would be a match made in heaven.
Unfortunately, that theory is more fantasy than reality at this point as significant questions continue to persist surrounding his shooting — or lack thereof.
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In a recent interview with ESPN's Nick Friedell, Simmons pushed back against criticism of his lack of shooting.
"They're going to say that regardless. Even if I hit a shot, what are they going to say? 'I still can't.' F---, I can't make everybody happy, you know?" Simmons said.
"That's like saying can Giannis [Antetokounmpo] shoot? Can he?" Simmons said.
Antetokounmpo, a career 28.9 percent shooter from the 3-point line, has never shot above 35 percent in a season in his entire career, but it's the improvements he's made everywhere else in his game that has transformed him into one of, if not, the best player in today's NBA.
Simmons and Antetokounmpo fit a similar mold, with their overwhelming size and athleticism at their positions, but what can Simmons take from Antetokounmpo's game?
1. Attacking the free throw line
Simmons is a nightmare in transition with his speed up the court, creating offense for both himself and his teammates, however, what sets Antetokounmpo apart is his willingness to absorb contact and make teams pay at the line.
Antetokounmpo is by no means a dead-eye free-throw shooter, but he has increased his attempts at the line in each of the first seven seasons of his career, while he attempted a career-high 11.4 free throws in 2021-122, which trailed only scoring leader Joel Embiid (11.8).
In the clip below, Simmons catches the Grizzlies' defence on their heels and after blowing by David Roddy, he is met by Steven Adams in the key.
Even if he's not converting at a high clip from the jump, putting the opposing team's bigs in foul trouble and collapsing defences even more will serve the Nets well.
“To be honest, whether Ben is super efficient from the line or not, I still want him to go to the line," Nets head coach Steve Nash said.
"Go to the line, stay aggressive, and I want to take the risk off his play. I’m not going to be discouraged if he doesn’t shoot a better percentage than he has in the past. I’m encouraging him to keep going, and I believe in him as a free throw shooter. I think there’s room for him to really grow as a free-throw shooter.
"He’s got a good touch and good hands. It’s a matter of him gaining confidence, getting reps, and turning a corner. I believe in him there.”
2. Embrace playing center
We're only just over a week into the new season, but one thing is telling in Brooklyn — the Nets are completely overmatched in the paint.
As it stands, Nic Claxton is the only recognised big man on the roster, and while ideally, you want Simmons hounding perimeter players, measured stints at the five, especially when sharing the floor with Durant and Irving, has the potential to unlock a devastating, switchable defence.
Simmons remains one of the few players in the league that can guard 1-5 at a high level.
In today's positionless era, your best bet is having your five players on the floor together and as the Bucks have proven, surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooters, while he rampages up and down the floor is a recipe for success, something Simmons has in his locker.
Per Cleaning the Glass, Antetokounmpo played 32 percent of his minutes last season at center, dwarfing his previous high of 12 percent the season prior.
Of course, this likely won't work against every team as we saw in the season opener against the Pelicans when Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas rampaged on the block. But those matchups are few and far between, and even then, Simmons has the offensive game — when he chooses to play aggressively — to make teams like New Orleans pay on the other end.
3. Cutting and movement off ball
Since being selected with the No.1 overall pick in 2016, Ben Simmons has had the rock in his hands, playing at the point guard position throughout his tenure in Philadelphia.
In Brooklyn, while he's listed as a PG, the reality of playing alongside Durant and Irving, somewhat negates needing a traditional point guard, with so much of their offense coming from isolation plays.
The biggest question for Steve Nash is finding where Simmons fits into the halfcourt offence and already this season, we've seen him have some success as a screener in the pick-and-roll.
His size, elite playmaking ability, and finishing inside makes defenders second guess. Leave Durant or Irving open? Or let Simmons roll freely to the rim for a dunk?
That kind of pick-your-poison attack takes pressure off Simmons and on a team with two generational scorers, cutting, setting picks, and cleaning up on the offensive glass is an effective way for Simmons to impact the team's offence without the ball in his hands.
Last season, Antetokunmpo was in the top 15 percent of roll men (per NBA Stats) and borrowing from The Greek Freak, Simmons has the skillset to add more plays like the one below to his arsenal, keeping the ball moving and creating offence in the halfcourt.
Nobody is suggesting that Simmons quite literally turn into Antetokounmpo.
As talented as Simmons is a three-time All-Star and legitimate former Defensive Player of the Year candidate, he's not remotely close to the level of the two-time MVP. And that's OK! The same could be said for 99.9% of all players in the history of the league.
But Simmons has the rarest Giannis-like combination of size and skill, and if he's able to replicate within reason some of what makes Antetokounmpo so special, the Aussie could once again be an All-Star and unlock Brooklyn's vast championship potential.
Last season, Antetokunmpo was in the top 15 percent of roll men (per NBA Stats) and borrowing from The Greek Freak, Simmons has the skillset to add more plays like the one below to his arsenal, keeping the ball moving and creating offence in the halfcourt.
