Even if you ignore the off-court/chemistry stuff (and you shouldn’t), if Ben Simmons isn’t in game shape enough to be a net positive defender, let alone the defender he once was, then their roster is a mortal lock to be the worst defense in the NBA. Kyrie won’t defend. Ben currently can’t. Royce O’Neal is overrated without Gobert cleaning up behind him. Most of the bench is AWFUL defensively. So their best defender is a 34-year-old who also is carrying a huge chunk of the offensive burden AND is a mortal lock to miss 15-20 games this year.

Like… they need Ben to be old Ben very very badly. lol. And even then, I don’t think that would’ve been enough to save Nash’s job.