With the Kobe Bufkin trade, the Atlanta Hawks cleared another full-time roster spot for this season. The team has two questions heading into the season: Do they have enough playmaking talent, and is their frontcourt deep enough?
Most NBA players cannot provide both, as guards typically handle playmaking duties. There is a player still available in free agency, however, who checks both boxes: Ben Simmons.
Simmons has fallen from grace this decade, with his 2021 playoff loss to Atlanta marking the turning point of his career. He entered that playoff series as the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, with the general public (mistakenly, in my opinion) believing that Simmons deserved to win the award outright. Despite his infamous offensive limitations, he placed 12th in MVP voting.
In the four years to follow, Simmons would start just 69 games. It was easy for casual fans to forget he was still in the league once his name left the media cycle for off-court reasons. Still, Simmons is a good NBA player who could round out an elite Hawks bench if given the chance.
Giving Simmons a training camp contract is a no-brainer
To be clear, Simmons is not the player he once was. He lost part of his elite athleticism with a series of back injuries, having two back surgeries in the last four years.
While his athleticism was what made him such an exciting player, he still could carve out an impactful role in the right system. Simmons is an excellent passer and ball handler who plays incredible defense for a backup four. Where he lacks is his shooting and offensive aggression.
Luckily for Simmons, the Hawks have the opposite problem. With Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, and Kristaps Porzingis, the team has its primary scoring options already on the squad. The team also has a claim for the best three point shooting team in the league. Atlanta just needs a game manager who can keep the offense flowing, and quality big man depth.
Putting aside the emotional history between the Simmons and the Hawks, this is a perfect opportunity for both parties. Simmons would be placed into a role well-suited for his strengths, and the team could fill their two remaining weaknesses with another former first overall pick.
Simmons' greatest weakness is his durability. He notoriously sat out of the 2021-22 season, with fans alleging his back injury was an excuse to hold out of his contract while still being paid. Simmons, however, was truly harboring an injury - the same back injury that prompted two surgeries.
This seems to be the problem that could doom the Hawks, and relying on another injury-prone player in a lineup starring Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis could prove to be a fatal mistake. Still, we are talking about the final roster spot. While Simmons may not finish the season, any player who can contribute in a meaningful way is valuable in the 15th roster spot.
While Simmons isn't the player he once was, he is a legitimate NBA player who has an obvious role on the team. The Hawks have a terrifying lack of depth at the power forward position, and they need playmaking and defense at the forward position. Besides big Al Horford, there is no free agent available who could come close to replicating Simmons' impact.