WINNER: Brooklyn Nets
Call me crazy for thinking that the Nets trading a former league-MVP made them better, but I truly believe that Brooklyn is in a better spot to win a championship without James Harden on their roster.
Kyrie Irving is only a part-time player right now due to him not being able to play in home games and Kevin Durant was not able to carry the Nets past the Bucks last season when Irving and Harden were out, but the Nets now have Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond.
Say what you want about Ben Simmons, but he is only 25-years-old and already a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive star. In Brooklyn, Simmons is going to be able to simply be the player he wants to be and not have to try and fit a “mold” that the 76ers were trying to keep him contained in.
Being the athletic 7-footer that he is, Simmons can be a ball-handler in place of Harden, he can open up space for Durant and Irving to play iso-ball, and most importantly, he can have a huge impact on the glass.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Key Takeaways From Wild NBA Trade Deadline Action
On offense or defense, Ben Simmons is going to be a huge boost to the Nets as a primary rebounder, mainly making an impact by creating second-chance opportunities for Durant and Irving.
We have seen the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of success this season playing “big-ball” instead of “small-ball” like other teams in the league have adjusted to doing.
The Nets could very well take a page out of the Cavaliers’ book this season and roll out some lineups consisting of Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, and either LaMarcus Aldridge or Andre Drummond.
Irving and Curry are two dependable shooters on the perimeter and with Durant being able to score from anywhere on the floor, Ben Simmons could really flourish as a screener and someone who can make a living scoring in the paint off of second-chance opportunities.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Key Takeaways From Wild NBA Trade Deadline Action
This really is a great trade for the Brooklyn Nets, as they addressed each of their “needs” as a team by getting rid of James Harden, who ended up being a “cancer” to their locker room and team morale.
