The Golden State Warriors had interest in bringing Ben Simmons to training camp, suggesting they were enticed by the idea of the three-time All-Star returning to somewhere near his best.
Simmons instead rejected a move to the Bay and signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Sacramento Kings, leaving the Warriors hoping that an outlandish claim from former NBA champion Richard Jefferson doesn't materialize.
Warriors best hope Ben Simmons doesn't return to All-Star form
Speaking this week on The ESPN Aussie Hoops Hour, Jefferson made a bold statement by declaring that Simmons could be an All-Star this year if he can get things right from a mentality perspective.
“..Certainly in basketball, just like many other sports, as much as it is physical, it is mental. Ben’s always had the talent. Ben has the talent to be an All-Star this year," Jefferson said.
As crazy as it sounds to hear Simmons and All-Star in the same sentence after he's been largely irrelevant over the past five years, Jefferson does have a point when it comes to the 30-year-old's talent never being in question.
It's that talent that had the Kings, Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and even NBA champion New York Knicks showing interest in Simmons. If things went right, suddenly you'd have a 6'10" athletic, ball-handing point guard who can defend every position on the floor. That skillset is undoubtedly intriguing, even at a time where Simmons didn't play at all last season and has played just 108 games in the past five years.
The issue is whether the former number one overall pick can get his body right physically, while also re-entering a mindset where he's capable of attacking the basket and scoring in a way he delivered through his first few seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Warriors unlikely to regret missing out on Ben Simmons
The likelihood is that Golden State won't regret missing out on Simmons. Even if he can show something and become a 15-20 minute per game rotation player for Sacramento, they're going to be a largely irrelevant team meaning he won't suddenly explode back into the spotlight.
That's why it might be Simmons himself that winds up regretting not joining the Warriors who could've provided him an opportunity to bounce-back on a team still competing for the playoffs. On the other hand, going to a team like the Kings who are clearly rebuilding might be the kind of low-pressure environment Simmons need to find his best again.
The idea of Simmons entering the All-Star discussion as Jefferson suggests is far removed from reality right now, but the Warriors will be hoping it doesn't suddenly come to fruition after missing out on the former Rookie of the Year.
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