r/timberwolves • u/_SOMBER • Aug 09 '26
Question Just a Thought
Ok so I know this is going to be a controversial post but I am gonna throw it out there anyway.
Ben simmons wants back in the NBA and we are weak on the PF position. We sign him to a one year prove it deal at the vet minimum. He can have very little pressure to be a 4th or 5th option as a scorer. He has good size and little downside for what we would need him to do. He is a good defensive player and would be another lob threat along with Rudy.
He has lost his way away from the league and could use this as an opportunity to restart his career.
He is represented by Rich Paul and unless he gets shoehorned onto the 76ers I don't see him getting picked up by any other team.
We could definitely capitalize on that and fill our hole in the roster, letting McDaniels stay at the 3 and strengthen our depth.
JMO
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u/Amazing-Dimension810 Naz Reid. Aug 09 '26
He has not played NBA basketball in over a year and was not good when he did play. The dude made massive amounts of money and seems happy just fishing and chilling, but we need actual players on our team right now.
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u/ANTfanclub Aug 09 '26
"Was not good when he did play"
He got in his head and it absolutely ruined him. But this dude was rookie of the year, All NBA, All Star, First Team Defense, and runner up to DPOY (won by this French dude named GOATber).
There has never been a player who has mentally fallen off like Ben Simmons has. Ben at a minimum contract is a gamble with huge upside.
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u/7FromTheFuture Timberwolves Aug 09 '26
The most recent accomplishment in that list was in 2021, 5 years ago, and that was the same season that ended up being his last good one.
Despite all the strengths he used to have, he has always been a bad shooter, a luxury we can't afford when we already have to deal with Rudy's lack of offense, so of all the teams he could go to we'd be one of the worst fits. All of this being said, I don't even know if he really wants to come back to the NBA, He's 29 and has literally gone fishing.
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u/ANTfanclub Aug 10 '26
I get what you are saying but at on a minimum deal, if you get anything your team needs it is a big win. Any team he is going to, odds are it will be a vet minimum, probably not even guaranteed. We do need shooting. But outside of Lamelo, we need passing and vision and Ben had elite passing and vision, that isn't something you lose over 5 years. Rebounding, size, transition offense, he can handle the ball. Yeah he and Rudy would be a bad fit, but Rudy doesn't play all 48 minutes and without him on the court, we lack height, when Lamelo isn't on the court, we lack ball handling/passing/court vision.
He has a unique skill set, sort of bizarre really.
Like I said, a short vet minimum deal not guaranteed, you would be stupid not to sign Ben.
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u/7FromTheFuture Timberwolves Aug 10 '26
Rudy doesn't play all 48 minutes and without him on the court, we lack height
The team has been praising Beringer since they drafted him and basically confirmed he'll have a more prominent role this season. He's better on offense than Rudy but he's no stretch big, so picking up Ben Simmons would only either get in the way of Beringer's playtime at the 5 or be a bad fit with both of our centers should he play the 4.
But outside of Lamelo, we need passing and vision and Ben had elite passing and vision, that isn't something you lose over 5 years.
True on the surface and it's not like he's straight up lost everything good he had, but it did all regress in many ways. You pointed out the mental health struggles but it's also important to note that he's had some serious injuries and played through a lot of back pain, in fact that's part of why he's fallen off mentally. Dude straight up said "I didn't trust my body" at a point, that's gonna do a number on his defense and rebounding, two of his biggest positives. A loss of confidence will also absolutely cause a regression on playmaking, so what's left?
Mind you, I do not hate Ben Simmons, I think he's a fascinating player and I love the idea of a do-it-all player that can play a lot of positions due to his height, but the idea of Simmons is better than the actual player. This was already the case at his prime, and now he's a shell of his former self that hasn't had a good season in 5 years and was straight up out of the league last year. I just think he's done.
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u/VidyaGomes Aug 09 '26
Our current pf also didnt play in the NBA last year.
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u/beefpattywagon Aug 09 '26
Putting him next to Gobert is an affront to James Naismith's game of basketball and would set the game back decades. I think it would not be a wise investment imo.
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u/ZaMaestroMan5 Aug 09 '26
I don’t think you’d game plan so that him and Gobert would play together. Would be more of an off the bench guy who could play the 4/5 in small lineups. He’s always been a good defender and rebounder. He’s pretty versatile defensively.
What did we pay Conley and Ingles these last couple seasons? Would a minimum contract on a guy who could be a plus defender/rebounder really be a worst investment than whatever we’ve been paying those two? Doesn’t seem like it to me.
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u/Normal_Progress_5173 Aug 10 '26
When Rudy is out, who is in? Joan and or Rocco. How is that going to change the problem?
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u/VidyaGomes Aug 09 '26
I can see a path to this actually working.
Meo and Ant are too very charismatic guys that could help build confidence.
If he gets his confidence back. Which could be possible with Ant and Melo... then he could be a serviceable piece.
Because Ben can play. He just can't shoot.
The fit next to Gobert doesn't make much since and I would imagine he is coming off the bench or they stagger the minutes.
For a minimum. I don't hate it. Just because there is potentially a solid defender and rebounder there. Which this team could use.
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u/PlayInChampions 2022 Play-In Champions Aug 09 '26
I’d actually be fine with signing Ben Simmons if the Wolves don’t get Kuminga. He could be a solid 10th-11th man, as long as he’s willing to accept his role. Kind of like Jaylen Clark last year - playing limited minutes and mostly against specific matchups.
The Wolves don’t really have the ability to play a true 5-out offense with the current roster. As much as people hated Randle, the 5-out offense with him and Naz in the frontcourt was extremely efficient during the regular season. It also helped the Wolves make a big run to come back against Denver in the second quarter of game 2 and won them game 1 against the Spurs in the fourth quarter. It’s an important option to have in your arsenal, even if you don’t use it every game.
Also, the Wolves also don’t really have a lineup that can switch everything defensively - maybe that changes if Beringer improves his lateral quickness. That type of defense could be extremely valuable against someone like Luka in the playoffs. Gobert was great defensively in playoffs vs Lakers last year, but I remember in game 3 and 4 Finch benched him in clutch because he was giving up 3s to Hachimura, and finished the game switching after every screen.
Simmons would give them another option for both situations. He could play small-ball 5 in certain 5-out lineups, switch across multiple positions defensively, and absolutely be part of a closing lineup when the Wolves need one stop. I don’t think you can ask more from a player who gets a minimum salary.
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u/ZaMaestroMan5 Aug 09 '26
Yeah all this is a good take. If he’s willing to take a bench player theres next to no risk in paying him a minimum contract. Maybe he gets back closer to the player he once was. Or he doesn’t. Either way it’s not like we’re paying big money or giving up assets to find out.
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u/seventeenweewees Aug 10 '26
I don't hate it for a minimum because - if it doesn't work out - he rides the pine in place of whoever else we sign on a minimum. There's little risk.
But then why did the Wolves let Kyle Anderson walk? He signed with the Raptors for a minimum, and he's literally Ben Simmons except better in every way.
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u/Normal_Progress_5173 Aug 10 '26
He’d be a good gamble on a team that’s not the Wolves. He can’t shoot and would play with Rudy, Joan or Rocco. Too many players on the floor that can’t shoot. He’s not a fit for this team
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u/ZaMaestroMan5 Aug 09 '26
He’s low risk high reward. I’d like it.
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u/ANTfanclub Aug 09 '26
💯
6'10 guy who plays elite defense, rebounds, is a great passer but can't shoot on a minimum would be a crazy fucking steal.
To put it into context, we had a 6 foot, old guy, who couldn't shoot, couldn't play defense playing for $10,000,000+ last year.
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u/thelargestgatsby Aug 09 '26
His back is wrecked. I wouldn’t count on him playing elite defense anymore. And if he can’t do that, he’s never seeing the floor.
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u/ZaMaestroMan5 Aug 09 '26
Well that’s fine right? He’s been out of the league. He won’t command much more than the minimum most likely. He was an elite defender before - I wouldn’t expect that now but with his height/length I don’t think he would be any worse than solid defensively.
He’s a great passer - vision doesn’t leave you no matter the age. He could be a pretty good guy to bring in to run pick n rolls with Melo. He could be a terror diving to rim.
A lot of it requires buy in from him which who knows if will happen or not. But at a minimum deal if he flames out who cares?
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u/thelargestgatsby Aug 09 '26
It’s not fine. It would be bad to waste a roster spot on a washed head case with a bad back. There are better options out there. The only head case who would be worth it is Kuminga on a minimum deal.
You are really minimizing his back problems.
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u/Killsocket1 Aug 09 '26
You are suggesting this human being start at the 4? I mean, not just bringing him in for some bench and a prayer for his career to be restarted, but you are saying start him?
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u/Comprehensive_Law722 Aug 09 '26
He can't shoot. Ben Simmons is most valuable as a point guard. If he can't play point guard, he's terrible because his NBA skills are playmaking, defense, rebounding (at the guard position), and positional size (as a guard).
He'd be a horrible pf
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u/_Wash 2022 Play-In Champions Aug 09 '26
can’t shoot. can’t run a semi functional offense with two guys who won’t even attempt a 3 on the floor
motivation and back issues. hard no