Ben Simmons' zero growth shows Nets guard has the worst contract in NBA right now

Ben Simmons has become the Brooklyn Nets’ elephant in the room. Right now, he’s a $35.4 million problem that the Nets haven’t figured out how to solve.

When GM Sean Marks agreed to trade James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Simmons, the belief was that he’d recover his old form. After four months, it seems the “Big Ben” of old is but a distant memory.

Sure, there were glimpses of what he could do like what he showed back in November. From Nov. 15 to 25, the Australian racked up six straight double-digit scoring games. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals.

Brooklyn Nets fans were ecstatic that maybe the oft-maligned guard/forward has finally turned a corner. November was his best stretch of basketball since he forced his way out of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ben Simmons’ output dropped in the next succeeding two months. He only averaged 7.6 PPG last month, nearly two points off his December figure. “Big Ben” played 13 games during that month, averaging 25.2 minutes per game. Amazingly, he went to the free-throw line just nine times and missed all of them.

Simmons has now played 11 games this month and reached double-digit scoring in just two of them. He had a triple-double on Jan. 17 against the San Antonio Spurs and had 12 points last Jan. 25 against Philly.

More than the numbers, which is troublesome at the very least, it’s his attitude and disposition on the court. He’s lost any sort of aggressiveness and will often go the entire game disappearing on the offensive end.

Ben Simmons, in four years with the Philadelphia 76ers, had 10.2, 11.9, 9.9 and 15.5 drives per game. He made three All-Star teams during that span and was a third-team All-NBA during the 2019-20 season.

As a member of the Brooklyn Nets, his drives are now just 3.7 per contest, which is why his scoring has dropped to 7.4 PPG, less than half of his career 14.9 PPG.

Charles Barkley claimed that Simmons’ problem is not his back and knees. It’s his mental makeup that has completely turned him into a role player. The Brooklyn Nets need more from him, particularly with Kevin Durant sidelined with an MCL sprain.

Several video clips show Simmons hardly looking at the rim to score. Kyrie Irving desperately urging him to take a point-blank shot was just one of those.

Part of the reason why his assists are going up is his willingness to pass at the first opportunity as he does not want to take a shot. He abhors going to the free-throw line as well.

Ben Simmons hasn’t delivered and it’s anybody’s guess if he will deliver again.

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The Brooklyn Nets are in an impossible situation with Ben Simmons' contract and performance

Ben Simmons has put the Brooklyn Nets in an unenviable bind due to his contract and performance. [photo: NetsDaily]

Ben Simmons is getting paid $35.4 million this season. Over the next two years, the Brooklyn Nets or any team that trades for him will cover his $77.8 million salary.

With the way he’s playing, no rival team is likely to even sniff his trade availability. One has to wonder how long the Nets will suffer because of what Simmons has become and what his contract means in trade negotiations.

In 2019, the 76ers signed Ben Simmons to a five-year $177 million rookie max extension. Under the Designated Rookie Rule, only one such contract is allowed per team via trade. Hence, the Nets couldn’t get the haul they wanted for Kevin Durant when the superstar wanted to force his way out of Brooklyn.

Some of the NBA’s biggest stars are on this kind of deal, so as long as Simmons is with the Nets, the team’s choices are limited. With him on the roster, Brooklyn can’t trade for Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Joel Embiid and several others.

In many ways, Ben Simmons has arguably the worst contract in the NBA right now.

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