Ben Simmons: ‘No idea’ what role is with new-look Nets

Before Ben Simmons arrived in Brooklyn as part of last season’s blockbuster James Harden trade, he started in all 275 games during his four-year stretch with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Now with the Nets, Simmons’ role has changed. He has come off the bench in each of the Nets’ last two games and seven of the 40 games he has played this season. He projects to come off the bench again in Brooklyn’s cross-bridge rivalry game against the Knicks on Monday.

His bench role could span the remainder of the season for a Nets team that has eight players who have been longtime starters for different teams this season.

Simmons says he has “no idea” what his role will be moving forward with this new-look team.

“Everything’s been changing all year, so it’s hard to really understand what’s going on, but hopefully we find some rhythm and consistency,” he said after shootaround Monday morning. “It’s different. It’s a different experience (coming off the bench). So whatever the team needs from us to win, I’m willing to do that.”

Simmons said his back and knee aren’t currently giving him issues.

He underwent an offseason back procedure, which he says had compensatory implications on his left knee. He has missed two different stretches of games due to the left knee — first a four-game absence due a lateral left calf strain, then another four games due to a subsequent bout with knee soreness — with both stretches coming after playing in both games of a back-to-back.

Simmons says he has not had any additional fluid drained from his knee.

“It’s getting there,” he said with optimism. “I’m able to play. For me, that’s a lot. So I’m good.”

There will always be a spotlight on Simmons, his minutes and his production, because of his contract.

Simmons is due a total of $35.4M this season. He is under contract for two more seasons following this one and is on the hook for $37.9M next season, plus another $40M in 2025.

His on-court production doesn’t reflect the salary. Simmons is averaging 7.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He played just 16 minutes in Brooklyn’s loss to the 76ers on Saturday and tallied just four points, three assists and three rebounds against his former team.

Once viewed as the team’s only true defensive stopper, Simmons is now one of many capable defenders. It’s one of the reasons he’s been moved to the bench: The other defenders can shoot threes, make free throws and are comfortable attempting to score.

Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson now start on the wings, while Spencer Dinwiddie starts at the point and Dorian Finney-Smith starts at the four. Bridges has barely been in Brooklyn long enough to stand in line for a cup of coffee, but he has already begun regurgitating the “play as hard as you can, as many minutes as you can” ethos head coach Jacque Vaughn has instilled in his team.

“I feel like everyone has that mentality of whatever minutes they’re gonna play, they’re gonna go hard. I haven’t seen nobody complain,” Bridges said after Monday’s shootaround. “I think everybody just has that mindset of winning. I know everybody wants to be out there, play the whole time. That’s just how the league is, but we got a lot of players, a lot of depth, so everybody seems cool and everybody stays ready. That’s the biggest thing.”

“Just everybody staying ready for when their numbers called,” Dinwiddie added. “Obviously, it’s gonna be a little adjustment period in these first couple of games and probably the first couple of weeks. We’re gonna play it by ear.”

Simmons wants to be on the floor. He wants to help his team in ways he can’t when he’s on the bench cheering from the sidelines. The truth of the matter is the Nets now have several defenders and need to find offense, an area Simmons does not impact outside of playmaking for shooters and cutters because he rarely looks to score the ball and is limited to scoring at and around the rim.

Simmons doesn’t know if he’ll be in the team’s fourth-quarter or closing rotations.

“I think it’s a little frustrating trying to find some rhythm and consistency, but that’s what it is at this point right now,” he said. “Guys have been in and out due to injuries, trades, so there’s been a lot of different things that play factors into it. Hopefully now we get a little bit of a stretch where we can find some rhythm and consistency.”