Why will it be "challenging" for Brooklyn Nets to involve Ben Simmons more going forward?

Now that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are no longer with the Brooklyn Nets, Ben Simmons should be the new main attraction of the franchise.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case as his performances are still underwhelming for the Nets. He managed an abysmal 2 points and played only 13 minutes on Monday night when Brooklyn lost to the New York Knicks by a final score of 124-106.

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn expressed his concerns about how the team will move forward with Ben Simmons in the lineup.

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Ben Simmons is in a tight spot with the Brooklyn Nets

Detroit Pistons v Brooklyn Nets

After witnessing a disappointing game from Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn admitted that the team now faces a new challenge. Simmons is known to be an all-around player, however, he has not shown that kind of form for the Nets. With Durant and Irving out of the equation, their opponents will now focus their attention on locking down Simmons.

Coach Jacque Vaughn feels that the new circumstances will cause the Australian player to fall even harder. Vaughn thinks it'll be difficult to assign a specific role to Simmons

"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 another playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball."

The Nets coach continued,

"Then if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him? So, the challenges are ahead of us. 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."

With only 25 games remaining, it's still likely that Brooklyn will make the playoffs this season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving did a remarkable job of keeping the franchise as one of the top contenders in the East. Unfortunately, the pundits are expecting a first-round exit this time, with the reliance on Ben Simmons proving to be counter-effective.