As is always the case after the trade deadline, the week following features the start of the NBA’s buyout market, as veterans on expiring deals that weren’t traded (or were acquired by teams for the express purpose of adding draft assets) find themselves on the open market.
This year, there are a handful of big names that figure to be available for contenders to sign for the minimum. Buyout players rarely make a major impact on teams, as they usually are on the buyout market for a reason, but sometimes they need to prove themselves in a different role to prove they can still impact winning in some way. This year, the player that is most in need of a career rejuvenation is Ben Simmons, as the former No. 1 overall pick has not been doing much for the Nets this season (6.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds per game in 33 appearances) before reaching a buyout to end his frankly disappointing tenure in Brooklyn.
As he looked for a new home, Simmons had to seriously consider what team would give him a chance to prove himself again to the league, because few view him as a player who, even on the minimum, would be a valuable asset to a contender. On Saturday, Shams Charania brought word that he will be heading to Los Angeles to join the Clippers, a team that has had a penchant for reviving careers (most notably Russell Westbrook) in recent years — and somewhat ironically joins a team with James Harden, who he was traded for in a swap of disgruntled stars years ago.
Now, Simmons issues are the polar opposite of Westbrook. For the former MVP, effort and intensity has never been the question, but channeling that effectively and understanding his own personal limitations was the challenge. For Simmons, the question is far more existential, regarding his desire to play basketball at the highest level and if he can physically hold up with persistent back issues and mentally hold up to pressure moments. With the Clippers in the thick of the playoff race in the West, the opportunity will certainly be available to Simmons to prove himself in that environment if he can crack the L.A. rotation. S
