The Brooklyn Nets are hopeful that Ben Simmons can put an injury nightmare behind him and return to his All-Star level during the forthcoming season.
The Nets endured a difficult season in 2022-23, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 45-37 record. Despite reaching the NBA Playoffs, the Nets were beaten in a series sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn is preparing for his first full season as head coach of the Nets, after being awarded the position in November 2022 following the exit of Steve Nash. Vaughn was given a contract extension in February this year which keeps him at the Barclays Center until the end of the 2026-27 season.
One of the key factors in the Nets having a successful 2023/24 will be the fitness of Simmons. Since he arrived as part of the James Harden trade to the Sixers in February 2022, the point guard has struggled with injury.
Despite being in Brooklyn for nearly 18 months, Simmons has played just 42 games for the team. His last appearance came on February 15 of this year, and has not played since due to suffering with a bad back.
Simmons averaged 15.9 points per game during his four seasons with the Sixers. However, that number drops to just 6.9 points per game during his 42 appearances for the Nets so far.
The priority for Simmons will be his long-term health, and it remains to be seen when the 26-year-old will be back on the court for the franchise. The number one overall pick from the 2016 Draft is a three-time NBA All-Star, and the Nets will hope that he can recapture that form again in Brooklyn.
Nets general manager Sean Marks was asked about Simmons following the team's win over the New York Knicks in the NBA Summer League. The Nets won 98-80 on Sunday night, and afterwards Marks was asked if he thinks fans can expect to see Simmons return to his All-Star level.
“Yeah, that’s a great question,” said Marks on Sunday. “Reasonably, the hope is that he returns to that level of play.
“If he was 35 years old, I wouldn't honestly be able to tell you that. But knowing that he’s mid-20s and he has still, hopefully, not reached his prime, we’re going to make sure he can get back out there and get back to that form.
“And hopefully we see his game even evolve past that. But health is going to be the key to him.”
Simmons is currently still undergoing his rehab in Miami and is yet to take part in three-on-three in training for the Nets. But Marks is hopeful that, by giving the guard time to rest and heal, the team will be able to benefit from having an All-Star back on their active roster sooner rather than later.
“He’s not doing three-on-three or five-on-five yet,” Marks said. “I was down there (Miami) two weeks ago with him and the training staff and saw the progress, and happy to report he’s in a great physical shape. And also mentally, he’s raring and champing at the bit to get out there.
“We’ve got time. This is not something we’re going to rush him back in to play five-on-five in the next couple weeks. But he’s progressing.
“This particular summer, he just ran out of time [to play in the World Cup]. It just wasn’t the right thing to do to put him out there without playing and rushing it. I think this was made in Brooklyn’s best interest and Ben’s long-term health.”
