Zion Williamson will be rejoining the New Orleans Pelicans next season, hoping to turn a playoff team into a title contender.
Zion is one of many star players who missed most or all of last season, including Ben Simmons, who held out in Philly before being traded to the Nets and injuring his back.
Neither guy played at all last season and took plenty of criticism for it, whether it was Zion being blamed for being out of shape or Simmons being eviscerated by 76ers fans for refusing to play.
The two former #1 picks have plenty in common, as both have shown generational talent at times but have had careers hampered by injuries.
Both players hope to come back big for their teams next season, so which guy is going to make the bigger impact? There are plenty of factors.
Zion Williamson or Ben Simmons?
The Talent
I think Simmons has actually become slightly underrated, some of which is his own doing, but people forget that this guy is really good.
When healthy, he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA, a guy who can guard all five positions. He’s a plus rebounder and playmaker who is a force in transition. But he can’t shoot, as we all know, which is a pretty big flaw in a league dominated by guys who can.
Simmons has never averaged even 17 points per game in a season, and pretty much flat-out refuses to shoot 3-point shots at all, which causes spacing issues considering he is often the primary playmaker on his team.
Zion Williamson is one of the most dominant offensive players I’ve ever seen, and while he is not as good as Simmons on defense (or even close), there is no doubt that he is the superior offensive player.
Zion has the chance to win a scoring title, and could be a fringe MVP candidate this season if he is healthy. Teams don’t have to game plan for Ben Simmons and even though he is the better defender, I think Zion is the clearly the better talent.
Zion Williamson or Ben Simmons?
The Injuries
Both Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson have had bad injury luck in their careers. Simmons missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury and Zion missed most of his after getting hurt in the preseason.
Zion missed all of last season with a foot injury of his own and Simmons for a combination of mental health and back problems.
Zion is now reportedly at 100 percent and ready to go, while Simmons just had offseason back surgery. Williamson has looked good in recent appearances and the Pelicans must be convinced, as they just gave him a huge contract extension.
There is also a question of how much Ben Simmons really wants to play basketball, as he sat out most of the season while he was completely physically healthy, watching his team play on without him and not seeming to care much.
Zion was itching to get back out there and would definitely have joined his team in the playoffs had he gotten the green light. I also think Zion wants to be great, he wants to win and is dying to prove himself to everyone who doubted him.
I am not as sure about Simmons, though he has plenty to prove himself and is going to have to win over fans after taking some pretty bad PR over the last few years.
I hope both guys are physically and mentally ready to play next season, but I do think Zion is the safer bet when you consider all of the factors surrounding the two.
Zion Williamson or Ben Simmons?
The Teams
Both Zion and Simmons will be joining teams that made the playoffs last season via the play-in tournament.
The Pels are building something special with the right balance of young talent, veteran leaders like CJ McCollum and hungry role players who know their jobs and do them well. The Pels have a deep roster and are building really nice chemistry with players that all seem to like each other.
Zion has a chance to thrive in the environment coach Willie Green has created and has a team full of guys that complement his skills. When you factor in talent, contracts and future assets, Zion is re-joining a team that has one of the best roster situations in the NBA.
While the Pelicans offseason has been relatively quiet and positive, the Nets have been the subject of non-stop rumors and speculation.
The Nets flamed out with the Harden, Irving, Durant trio in spectacular fashion, and even though Irving has opted in to his contract, Durant is far less certain and Harden is already gone.
Even if the Nets have all three of Durant, Irving and Simmons, there is a lot that could go wrong, especially now that Durant has made his displeasure with the direction of the team public. This has a chance to be one of the most toxic teams in the NBA, one that is going to be under constant scrutiny in the media whether is for Kyrie’s bonkers views, KD’s trade demands or Ben Simmons’ shooting and health.
It’s not a great situation for Simmons, who probably wishes he’d have been traded to the Kings so he could play without anyone watching.
Zion is clearly joining the better team situation, as the Nets are going to be the biggest soap opera in the NBA.
I hope Ben Simmons comes back strong, as I like to watch him play, but Zion is in the better position to succeed next season as long as he stays healthy.