Nets' Dennis Schroder: Ben Simmons Is an 'All-Star-Type Player'

The two are set to be Brooklyn's featured backcourt in Tuesday's preseason opener.

Sep 30, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) speaks to the press during media day at Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Rookie head coach Jordi Fernandez announced Friday that both Dennis Schroder and Ben Simmons will get the start in the Brooklyn Nets preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Now official, Schroder offered his perspective on the decision to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“When I first got here, I played with Ben the first scrimmage,” he said. "After that, we didn’t do it too much. We competed every practice against each other, and that was great just to push ourselves and try to get as many wins as possible. But coach decided that we’re going to start together, and we’re going to make the best out of it.”

"He’s an All-Star-type player, so he’s going to push the ball. [He’s] unselfish."

The pairing provides the Nets with plenty of on-court versatility. Simmons can make up for what Schroder lacks defensively, just as Schroder compensates for Simmons' lack of shooting.

“On the defensive end, [Simmons is] playing with grit. And that’s what we need here. So, a lot of speed. He can bring it up, I go to the corner," he continued. "If not, me and him in pick-and-roll, him setting the screen or me setting the screen. I think we can do a lot of things. And today we worked on it, and we try to keep building forward, going forward, try to build."

If the backcourt duo continues to start together throughout the preseason, Cam Thomas will likely be moved to the three in late October. The experiment is the first of Fernandez's Brooklyn tenure, and surely won't be his last.

The Nets take on the Clippers at Frontwave Arena on Oct. 8 at 10:30 p.m. EST.

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