Ben Simmons and his agent Rich Paul met with Nets general manager Sean Marks Monday and the team’s leadership to discuss what it’s going to take for him to take the court for the franchise, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Simmons, who is dealing with a herniated disc in his back, made it clear that the physical hurdles he’s up against aren’t the only reason why he’s not playing.
“The sense very much today was he [Simmons] needed more support, he needed more help to get there,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN. “There is still a mental health part in this equation that the Nets and Rich Paul and Ben Simmons have to continue to work through together.”
Simmons was expected to play in Game 4 against the Celtics Monday, but was ultimately ruled out after he woke up with soreness in his back Sunday, per ESPN. Before he was acquired by Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade that landed James Harden with Philadelphia back in February, Simmons’s mental health was well documented.
The point forward struggled in the 2021 playoffs and he caught major criticism for his hesitation to attempt a shot in the Eastern Conference playoff series against the Hawks. This eventually ended up with him requesting a trade before telling the 76ers he was not mentally ready to play basketball yet this season. He was eventually dealt and hasn’t played in an NBA game since last year.
The Nets are down 3–0 in the series and will host Game 4 Monday at 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
