The Brooklyn Nets found themselves a part of one of the biggest and shocking trades of the 2021-22 NBA season when they agreed to terms on a trade with the 76ers that sent James Harden to Philadelphia.
As part of this trade, the Nets not only received two key secondary talents in Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, but they got three-time All-Star Ben Simmons from the 76ers as well.
Simmons has sat out the entire season so far as a result of wanting a trade from the 76ers, but now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, Ben Simmons continues to be sidelined due to a lingering back injury.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Simmons is dealing with a herniated disc in his back and there has been no timetable laid out for his potential debut for the Nets.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Scout Reveals Key Benefits Of Ben Simmons For Nets
After Monday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn will have just 10 games remaining on their schedule, leaving little time left for Ben Simmons to get on the court and build chemistry with his teammates ahead of the playoffs and/or play-in tournament for the Nets.
His status right now is uncertain, but sources have told The Athletic that Ben Simmons does want to be on the court as soon as he can.
The Nets had intended on Ben Simmons possibly making his debut on March 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers, but Nets’ GM Sean Marks stated that this potential return date was missed due to Simmons’ receiving an epidural injection and not being ready to go.
Ben Simmons’ back issues continue to circle back to the big question in Brooklyn of whether or not this team has what it takes to win a championship amid all the constant changes in their rotation.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Scout Reveals Key Benefits Of Ben Simmons For Nets
Kevin Durant being healthy and back on the floor definitely puts the Nets in a much better position to contend for a championship, but the uncertainty of Simmons being available for the postseason and the on-going battle between New York City and Kyrie Irving continues to cloud the Nets’ chances for success.
This past weekend, head coach Steve Nash spoke to the media and said that Simmons is currently not doing any basketball activity and is instead working with the team’s medical staff for his back injury.
“The physical therapist just works on his rehabilitation,” Nash said. “I wasn’t on [the table] working on him. They do what they do in a clinical setting and try to improve his condition. … A lot of bio-mechanical work, manual therapy, all sorts of stuff to get him in a position to start to move in the right sequence and fashion.”
Ben Simmons has encountered several setbacks while trying to get healthy and on the court for the Nets this season, but Nash still claims that he “fully expects” to have the All-Star 7-footer on the court at some point this season, whether that be in the regular season or the postseason.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Scout Reveals Key Benefits Of Ben Simmons For Nets
We have yet to see Ben Simmons take the court for the Brooklyn Nets, but he will play an integral part in their chances to win a title because of how versatile of a defender he is.
Simmons’ struggles on the offensive-end of the court are well-documented, but with Kevin Durant being the main ball-handler and facilitator for the team, Ben Simmons will find himself with plenty of opportunities for one-on-one situations against smaller, weaker defenders since many team’s main priority will be stopping Durant.
Assuming Kyrie Irving can be on the floor as well, this All-Star trio Brooklyn has put together definitely has the potential to be lethal on the offensive-end of the floor.
Getting everyone on the floor healthy though remains a key concern of the Brooklyn Nets as they enter the last few weeks of the season still fighting for a playoff spot.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: NBA Scout Reveals Key Benefits Of Ben Simmons For Nets
Currently 37-34, the Nets are the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference and three full games behind the Toronto Raptors for the 7-seed. Once picked by many to win the NBA Finals this year, the Nets may very well have to earn their playoff spot via the play-in tournament, drawing a matchup with either the 1-seed or 2-seed in the Eastern Conference in the first-round of the playoffs.
