The Brooklyn Nets appear to have the team that they are going into the 2023-24 season with as they work to get back into the playoffs and make it out of the first round. With some believing that Brooklyn could miss the playoffs entirely or may have to get there through the play-in tournament, it may be time to explore one factor that could have a drastic on the Nets’ performance next season.
Last season was an interesting one for Brooklyn as they began the season with championship aspirations because of the team being led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving only for both players to be traded at the February trade deadline. After the deadline, the Nets had an interesting team led by Mikal Bridges and Nic Claxton and despite a lack of chemistry and star power, Brooklyn was able to make it to the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers and while the Nets had good chances to win Games 3 and 4 for a host of reasons, Joel Embiid’s knee injury being the most important, it’s fair to wonder what could have happened if Ben Simmons was healthy last season. If the Nets are going to do anything substantial next season, they need Simmons to get closer to his All-Star form.
With this being said, what can the organization and the fanbase expect from Simmons next season?