Possibly the biggest story of the Sacramento Kings' offseason was signing Ben Simmons. It's a risky move due to his history of injuries and other issues. That hasn't stopped some in the world of NBA media from overinflating the potential of his return, putting an incredible amount of pressure on him.
Before we get into this, there are two things that I think are important to say. This provides you with context about where I'm coming from, which matters when talking about Simmons and his return to the league. It also frames my thoughts in the context of the larger NBA conversation.
First and foremost, I want Simmons' return to be a successful one. I am absolutely rooting for him to come back to the league, stay healthy, and have a productive career. If that's with the Kings in the long term, great. All I want for Simmons is for him to do well in the NBA.
That's part one. I am also someone who spends a lot of time thinking analytically about the league and writing about it. From that perspective, I've seen the Ben Simmons hype train pull out of the station many times over the years. I've also seen it derail more often than not.
Certain members of the NBA media need to chill out
That's why watching commentators like Richard Jefferson and Brian Windhorst wind him up is concerning to me. Simmons was barely back on a roster, and Jefferson was calling for him to be an All-Star. Windhorst has been saying Simmons will be able to guard anyone, including Wemby.
Comments like that put an incredible amount of pressure on Simmons' return, whenever it happens. There are large chunks of NBA media talking like he's going to turn the clock back a decade. That's a little much, especially for a player who has long struggled with the game in his head.
I'm not saying people shouldn't be supportive of Simmons. He has worked hard to get this opportunity and deserves the chance to follow through on it. What I am saying is that everyone also needs to be realistic. Maybe don't make him an All-Star DPOY candidate before his first game.
The Kings are taking the right approach, to an extent, by easing Simmons back into the league. He'll have court rust to shake off, and they don't want to overburden him. It will help manage both his physical and mental health. That being said, stop telling us how great he's playing and show us.
Add us as a preferred source on Google