The cornerstone of the top scorer! No one cares about him! What happened to him at the age of 29?

The pace of the new NBA season is getting closer and closer. Most of the role players who are in their year of playing have basically found a new owner even if they can only sign a basic salary contract or a training camp contract. But at this time, there are still people who are away from the league.

29-year-old former No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons, still hasn't found his next home in the new season.

Simmons also played 50 games for the Clippers and the Nets last season. Now that he has not joined any team, this gap makes people sigh: Is Simmons, who was once talented, really going to be abandoned by the league?

Looking back at the beginning of this story, Simmons has been an alternative existence since entering the NBA as the No. 1 pick in 2016. From his interviews, we can see a lot of special features. He doesn't like the hustle and bustle of the city and is not used to being covered by spotlights. The outside world expects him to quickly adapt to the NBA rhythm, but he chooses to escape when facing problems.

The most typical example is the attitude when there was a conflict with the 76 people in Philadelphia. Training should have been his first step to return to the field, but he left the court directly before the team's training ended. Rather than saying that he is not ready for physical condition, it is better to say that his mentality is not ready for stress. After leaving Philadelphia, back injury became Simmons' biggest nightmare. In just three years, he experienced two back surgeries, which often only had to choose to play in one back-to-back schedule. This directly makes it difficult for him to become a stable rotation. If a team wants to place tactics and resources on him, it must pay additional adjustment costs. But in his limited playing time, it is difficult for him to play matching value.

When he joined the Nets, the outside world thought he could be resurrected in a more free space system, but the reality is that his breakthrough explosive power has dropped significantly, and his jumping height and willingness to confrontation have also shrunk. Coupled with the limited habit of ending with the right hand, the opponent can easily limit his attack.

Looking back at the Philadelphia period, Simmons' ball-holding propulsion was once a powerful weapon for fast break counterattacks. Even without shooting, he could still create threats by relying on his finishing ability and passing. But after a serious injury, his layup percentage dropped to 50%, and almost only the pass was left on the offensive end. Even when he is in a completely open position, he often chooses to hand over the ball instead of completing the attack directly by himself.

's fear of being timid directly made him gradually marginalize on the offensive end.

The outside world has also expected that he can transform into a short pick-and-roll support point like Green, but the near-frame throwing and finishing feel is completely lower, and coupled with the decline in confrontation, it is difficult for him to support the offensive hub role. The empty cut movement without the ball can only be considered qualified, and it is difficult to offset his disadvantages in space.

Simmons' biggest selling point once came from defense. He could guard small men at a speed close to the defender, and he could also use the size of a power forward to limit the frontcourt line. Simmons in this state is the defensive puzzle that any team dreams of.

But when his lateral movement ability declined, he is now obviously unable to keep up with the top defenders. There are occasional flashes in steals and counterattacks, but they can no longer reproduce the value of external defense in their peak period. The inside frame protection is not his strength, so it is naturally difficult to transform into the defensive center of the ball's fifth position.

The desire for offense disappeared, and the sense of defensive oppression declined. Simmons' core competitiveness was almost wiped out in injuries and psychological shadows.

Looking back at Simmons' professional trajectory, it is really sad. He was the leader of Philadelphia as soon as he entered the NBA, but in just a few years, he fell from the cornerstone of the team to an unwelcome homeless man. Perhaps, he still has a one-handed throw and can occasionally send exquisite passes during the conversion. However, when his body and confidence slide together, it will be difficult for his influence to support the patience of a team.

And those players who once fell behind him are still running hard on the court. As for the genius Simmons, he may have stayed at the starting line forever.

Perhaps this is the reason why he has been reluctant to sign.