Ben Simmons has no trade value right now?

The Brooklyn Nets will be without Ben Simmons for at least their next two games, according to interim head coach Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn said at Nets practice Thursday that Simmons will not travel with the team for matchups against the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets this weekend as he deals with soreness and swelling in his left knee. The knee ailment forced Simmons to miss Brooklyn’s last two games. Despite still recovering from offseason back surgery, the three-time All-Star had not missed a game prior to Monday. Vaughn was non-committal on whether Simmons would travel with Brooklyn for their game against the Dallas Mavericks next Monday. The interim head coach said the 26-year-old has not been practicing. “Ben is doing more so treatment than anything, trying to get that swelling down,” Vaughn said. -via Clutch Points / November 3, 2022

So you can expect the Nets to pursue trade opportunities ahead of the February deadline. In the days before Saturday’s brutal loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Nets had been in cursory talks with one Western Conference team about a deal that would return a veteran shooter, per SNY sources. Ben Simmons’ name came up in the talks, sources say. -via SportsNet New York / November 2, 2022

It’s unclear if talks advanced past the cursory stage, but Brooklyn was said to be aggressive in its pursuit of perimeter shooting. And that was before the club fired Nash. So it’s reasonable to expect the team to take an aggressive approach in the trade market. Can they make a move to keep their title window open a little longer? That remains to be seen. They certainly hope that the next transaction – the hiring of Udoka – can keep it from closing shut. -via SportsNet New York / November 2, 2022