Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus recently predicted where some of the most well-known free agents still on the open market would end up, with Ben Simmons landing in New York, in a move that could ultimately end Mitchell Robinson's time with the Knicks.
Simmons is one of the most polarizing players in the league, and fans would likely have strong opinions one way or another if Pincus' prediction comes true. Earlier in his career, he was one of the most gifted athletes in the league. Simmons had an incredibly rare mix of size, passing ability, rebounding talent, and defensive versatility for a point guard.
Ultimately, he never developed any semblance of a jump shot. That, combined with his fear of getting to the free throw line and numerous significant injuries, has left him a shell of what he once was.
The upside and downside of Simmons
As I mentioned above, fans would likely be split on adding Simmons to the roster. On one hand, he is another player who is capable of handling the rock and initiating the offense, something the Knicks don't have much of on their roster outside of Jalen Brunson.
He gives them another strong rebounder along with Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Robinson. Then there is the defensive versatility. Simmons can truly guard every position on the floor, from the perimeter to big men inside. Last year, as a member of the Clippers, he guarded Nikola Jokic in the post on numerous occasions.
The shooting, of lack of, is a major downside. Last season, of players who had at least 800 touches around the 3-point line, in the mid-range, or in the paint, only six players in the league shot on a lower percentage of their touches than Simmons did, according to league tracking data.
Signing Simmons would mean losing Robinson
Simmons is more of a big wing or small center at this point in his career. If the Knicks add another big, it could signal the beginning of the end for Robinson, who is in the last year of his deal and has not received an extension from the Knicks yet.
If the Knicks do bring in Simmons, they could look to flip Robinson, who has had plenty of injuries himself, while his stock is as high as it ever has been, coming off of a playoff run where he consistently dominated the game on the glass and was a major force on defense.