Once upon a time, players and media believed that the second coming of LeBron James had arrived.
Unfortunately for this former No.1 overall pick, that stigma did not last long.
Now, however, he has a chance to team up with the Los Angeles Lakers and James, and Nick Halden of L.A. Sports Hub believes it would benefit both parties.
“Things have grown dark enough for free agent Ben Simmons that the former L.A. Clipper is reportedly considering retirement,” Halden said Thursday. “There is value in bringing the rebounding and defense to Los Angeles and seeing if there is anything left in the tank.
“If there is anyone in the league that can help Simmons figure things out and turn back the clock a bit, it’s James, (Luka) Dončić, and head coach JJ Redick.”
Lakers Nation has had quite an impressive offseason, already bringing in one former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, alongside Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart.
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Halden’s point of the impact JJ Redick, Luka Dončić, and James could have on Simmons should not go undersold.
At one point in time, Simmons was getting ready to be the face of the league, so the potential for him to be great was at least there.
If he gets surrounded by some of the top talent in the league, it could be worth signing to a “prove it” type of deal with the Lakers.
One concern the organization may have is playing under the bright lights in Los Angeles, but if Simmons has interest, then he could be a valuable asset for the Lakers to bring in to wrap up their offseason.
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