The Nets and Ben Simmons enter the 2023-24 NBA season optimistic about the three-time All-Star’s bounce-back potential, a theme that continued this week in Brooklyn’s training camp.
So far, in the Nets’ scrimmages and practices, Jacque Vaughn appears to like what he sees from his potential starting point guard.
“Well, I think, overall, I’ll keep things pretty simple,” Vaughn said of Simmons, who is “grateful” to be back healthy. “The agreement is — we have an agreement with everybody — you perform, you get a chance to play, at the end of the day. And so, he fits into that bucket. I think what we’ve seen is his ability to push the basketball — do it over and over again, play with extreme amount of pace, get to the rim, play with force, all the things we were asking and I was searching for last year.
“That got revealed, why those things weren’t happening. The good thing is those things are happening. So it just, now — it continues. First week of camp, get through that and continue to build. And then you start to get to some preseason games. But the expectations across the board — it’s always based on performance. And so far, he’s had some really good days.”
Simmons, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, is not the only redemption candidate for Brooklyn.
Dennis Smith Jr., whom the Nets signed in July to a one-year deal, joins Brooklyn after what he called his “big mental shift” from the 2022-23 season with the Charlotte Hornets and head coach Steve Clifford.
“It’s a lot that goes into being a professional basketball player, other than just playing basketball — you know what I’m saying?” said Smith, the 2017 NBA Draft’s No. 9 overall pick and a member of the Knicks from 2019-21. “So, first thing — or the biggest thing — was just checking the ego, you understand? Check the ego, and I learned how to just shift my mental into being able to fit whatever role I needed to play and find a way to stay in it — and it’s paying off.
“I’m in a really good spot now. Charlotte was great, and that’s a lot of credit to coach Cliff as well — I love him to death — and he he gave me the opportunity last year. I made the most out of it. Now, I’m here in Brooklyn — great spot — and I’m thankful for it.”
