The narrative around Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons is that unless he overcomes a reluctance to shoot jumpers and adds that to his game, the once-promising player’s career could be on the decline.
But that’s not how his head coach Steve Nash sees it. Not at all.
“I’m just not one of those people who thinks Ben has to shoot the ball,” Nash told reporters Thursday.
“He is a special, special player without taking any jump shots. There’s other solutions for that, he has so many things that he brings to the table that complements our group,” he said. “[Shooting] is just not important to me. It’s not what he brings to the table for us.”
Asked if he believes Simmons will be ready to shoot when the time comes, Nash shook his head and said, “I don’t need him to shoot it.”
“I’m not asking him to shoot it. If he’s open and wants to shoot it I’m not gonna yank him out of the game, but that’s not what he does,” Nash continued. “For me, Ben is an incredible playmaker, he plays point guard, he’s incredible in transition, he’s a good screener, he’s good playing out of the half roll or attacking the rim and so those are the things that we need from Ben. And that’s where he’s special at.”
Simmons did not play for the Nets after he came to Brooklyn in a deal for James Harden in February, while dealing with a lingering back injury.
Nash thinks Simmons looks great so far and is “on his way back to his best” and the top priority when it comes to the versatile guard is "to continue his return to play plan” and manage his back during the preseason.
“There is no limitations, but that doesn’t mean there won't be at some point,” Nash said. “So I think we just gotta evaluate day-by-day. But he looks great, he’s been handling demands well.”