Ben Simmons says he’s feeling ‘great’ following back another surgery… but Brooklyn Nets are in a much different place than when he arrived
Ben Simmons insists he is ‘ready to go’ following his second back surgery in three years – but any return to his previous All-Star form will at this point come way later than the Brooklyn Nets hoped for.
The Nets, following a failed superstar era with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, firmly entered rebuilding mode this summer when they shipped Mikal Bridges across town to the Knicks.
And ironically, it might not be in Brooklyn’s interest at this point for Simmons – who has played just 57 games with the team since February 2022 due to back and knee injuries – to get back to his best.
For the first time in over a decade (after getting their picks back from Houston), the Nets now look extremely likely to draft in the lottery (and potentially much higher), and they’ll hope to be a part of the sweepstakes for presumptive No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg at season’s end.
All of that, though, is not Simmons’ concern.
‘I think it’s my job to come here and compete,’ he said from the Nets’ media day.
‘…I’m always going to believe in my teammates regardless of who it is. But our job is to get better each day and see what we have and go from there.’
Simmons’ time in Brooklyn has not gone as hoped, as he’s battled injuries, fallen out of the rotation and showed only rare glimpses of the ability that made him a three-time All-Star in Philly.
The ‘point forward,’ whose current five-year, $177million deal runs out at the end of this season, has averaged just 6.7 points per game in Brooklyn to go along with 6.0 assists and 6.7 rebounds a night.
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