After a minimum of one former 76ers teammate asserted Ben Simmons wouldn’t have the fortitude to play in his March 10 return to Philadelphia — having sat out citing psychological well being points — the Nets say it’s now solely conditioning preserving the newly acquired All-Star from making his season debut.
Simmons hasn’t performed because the 76ers’ June playoff exit, requesting a commerce amid his psychological well being woes. However after Simmons arrived two weeks in the past in a commerce from the 76ers, Nets coach Steve Nash was requested whether or not it was conditioning or one thing else preserving the All-Star off the ground.
“Conditioning,” Nash stated earlier than the Nets’ 129-106 loss to the Celtics. “Simply bought to try to get him a spot the place he can … it’s been an extended layoff, proper? So he hasn’t performed NBA basketball for a very long time so simply making an attempt to work by that.”
Brooklyn hasn’t given any form of timeline for Simmons to make his debut, aside from saying he’s additional behind than the injured Kevin Durant. Whereas Simmons missed the primary sport popping out of the All-Star break — Thursday evening in opposition to the Celtics — the Nets’ subsequent full follow is March 5, previous a three-game highway journey.
That swing begins with a rematch in Boston, and ends March 10 in what guarantees to be a extremely contentious return to Philadelphia.
Sixers wing Danny Inexperienced has stated he doesn’t assume Simmons will even take the courtroom for his extremely anticipated return, one the Philadelphia fan base is salivating for. Inexperienced questioned whether or not Simmons can have the gumption to play in what guarantees to be a heated atmosphere, or shake fingers along with his former teammates if he does.
“Will we shake fingers to begin? Most likely not. First, I’ll be extremely stunned if he even performs,” Inexperienced stated on his podcast, “Contained in the Inexperienced Room with Danny Inexperienced.”
“I don’t know the place his well being is mentally, bodily. I do know he had different points, and everyone knows he doesn't like taking part in in Philly. So if he does play in that sport, I’d be extremely stunned. However say that does occur. I see that as being very hectic, playoff-like atmosphere to the place it could be very tough for him.”
Simmons has been open about his psychological well being points, and has been seeing a therapist. Getting him in the proper headspace is each bit as necessary for Brooklyn as getting his wind up.
“Lots of people must be afraid of a mentally wholesome Ben Simmons,” stated Nets ahead James Johnson. “If he’s proper, he’s going to be killer.”
Getting and preserving him proper is paramount, and Simmons will face a cauldron each time he does return to Philadelphia. If something, Inexperienced could also be understating the reception.
Philadelphia followers have turned “F–okay Ben Simmons” right into a profane mantra, chanting it at video games the All-Star wasn’t even current for. Further safety will certainly be wanted, and plenty of have opined he’ll be hesitant to face that atmosphere.
For his half, when requested at his Brooklyn introduction if he’d play in that return journey, Simmons stated, “I hope so.”
It stays to be seen if Simmons can have accomplished his ramp-up course of by then, needing a minimum of three high-intensity practices. And, after all, he’ll should be in the proper headspace.
“Effectively, I feel it’s unfair for me to speak about Ben’s headspace,” Nash stated. “All I can say is we’re excited to have him with us, and getting him again to exercise after such an extended layoff when he wasn’t round a bunch, these are intervals that we wish to actually take our time to evaluate.”
And get Simmons settled.
Inexperienced added Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, who got here to Brooklyn in the identical commerce, had chilly relationships with Simmons in Philadelphia.
“Fascinating dynamic of issues went down; attention-grabbing dynamic of who went with him,” Inexperienced stated. “I haven’t gotten an opportunity to speak to these guys but, however I do know they weren’t on essentially the most cordial of phrases when he was in Philly with Drum and Seth. So I'm wondering how that relationship is now.”
After the Nets’ loss, Curry stated he bought together with Simmons.
“I don’t know the way I bought blended up in that entire factor, I imply, me and Ben had been positive, we’ve been positive,” Curry stated. “I don’t know what ‘not cordial’ means, however we simply didn’t discuss, similar to all people else as a result of he wasn’t round.
“I imply because the first day I noticed him, I noticed him on the follow facility in Philly every part was positive, so it’s nothing to [write] house about.”
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