Nets HC: Ben Simmons to Be PG After Slow-Paced Dennis Schröder Traded to Warriors

Following the trade of their slow-paced point guard Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors, the Brooklyn Nets are now relying on the fast-paced Ben Simmons to fill the position.

"Dennis was bottom ten slowest point guards in the NBA–pace doesn't mean you're better or worse–and Ben is 18th-fastest...We're going to try to play faster," Nets head coach Jodi Fernandez said, per New York Post's Brian Lewis. "The ball is going to fly. He's going to push. He's going to throw it ahead."

Fernandez will focus on increasing Simmons' minutes on the court as the new floor general, having previously not exceeding 27:20.

"I think my restriction right now is 27. I think it's around that. So hopefully that changes soon," Simmons said per Lewis.

Simmons has been averaging 5.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists while shooting 59.7 percent from the field, the highest of his career.

Ahead of his trade, 31-year-old Schröder has been having a standout year, averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists per game while leading the Nets to a surprising 10-15 start.

This won't be the first time Simmons has led a team, as he served as the point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers during his first four years in the league.

He and the highly touted 2020-2021 76ers, under Doc Rivers, finished with a 49-23 record but suffered an Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks behind Simmons and former teammate Joel Embiid.

Before the Schröder trade, Fernandez told reporters that he wanted Simmons to take more shots, as he is currently averaging the fewest points per game of his career at just 5.1.

"I want him to shoot more," Fernández told reporters on Sunday. "My goal for him is 10 [shots per game]. He's got to find a way to get there. He hasn't gotten there yet, but I know he can."

This sentiment remains crucial, as most top point guards today need to be a shooting threat to draw defenders and speed up the floor.

"I don't care about makes, misses," Fernandez added. "I just want to see that shots are going up. He's more than capable."