Simmons is finally close to returning.
Ben Simmons recently told local media that his condition has improved and that he could be back on the court soon.
Simmons is currently out for an extended period of time with a back injury. His last NBA game was on November 8 against the Milwaukee Bucks. He hasn’t been on the court for two months.
When Simmons was on the court, Brooklyn didn’t fare too badly. That’s because while Simmons has clear weaknesses on offense, his strengths are on defense. With Simmons on the floor, the Nets went 3-3.
But now, Brooklyn is in crisis mode. The lack of a clear-cut ace has led to a 16-21 record and a 10th place finish in the Eastern Conference.
It’s unlikely that Simmons will become Brooklyn’s ace. On the contrary, the offense is likely to get worse with his addition. Still, Brooklyn is waiting on Simmons because he can score in fast break situations and create mismatches with his physical dominance. Since his injury, Simmons’ impact on defense has diminished, but he’s still a solid defender.
Regardless of his return, it’s hard for Brooklyn fans to feel good about Simmons. Simmons was traded to Brooklyn from the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2021-2022 season trade deadline. The price for Simmons was James Harden. At the time, Brooklyn had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, and Simmons was supposed to be the third star to back them up.
However, Simmons didn’t play a single game in the 2021-2022 season due to injury, and the Nets were humiliatingly swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in four games. The following season, 2022-2023, he was limited to 42 games due to a back injury. His performance was poor.
This season, he played just six games before missing the entire season. It’s no wonder Brooklyn fans aren’t happy.
The grim truth is that Simmons is still under contract through next season. It’s safe to say that Simmons has one of the worst contracts in the NBA right now. It’s only going to get worse for Brooklyn.
Simmons himself has said he will return, but there is no timetable. Will Simmons be able to turn things around in Brooklyn after returning from injury?