Finding A New Role For Ben Simmons Among The Challenges For Brooklyn Nets

The Miami Heat are used to seeing Ben Simmons in the starting lineup when they play the Brooklyn Nets.

When the teams meet Wednesday, that could change.

Simmons started 41 games this season but came off the bench for the third straight time in Monday's loss to the New York Knicks. A former No. 1 overall pick, Simmons had two points in 13 minutes.

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said he must find a new lineup that works with Simmons after the trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The Nets roster now includes new additions Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith.

"It's going to be some work that we have to do," Vaughn said. "Because you just take a look at what the lineups could potentially look like. You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then if you put a playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball. Then if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him.”

Last month the Heat faced the Nets when they had Irving and Durant. At the time, the Nets were considered a contender in the Eastern Conference. That changed when Durant was sidelined indefinitely after getting injured against the Heat. As losses mounted, the team was blown up at the trade deadline.

The Nets are 0-2 since making the moves.

"So, the challenges are ahead of us," Vaughn said. "We'll look them head on. We'll figure it out. We have the personnel to figure it out. Whether it is me mixing and matching throughout different pieces of the game, and allowing him to have a group and run with a group, that part we'll figure out, but you see the challenges that lie ahead.”

Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog: https://substack.com/profile/114079068-cory-nelson?utm_source=account-card