The Strange Saga That Is Nets’ Season May Be Taking Another New Twist With Simmons Ramp-Up
There was nothing new to report from yet another Nets blowout loss at home on Thursday to the Celtics, 129-106. We all knew what was coming—and what will keep coming until Brooklyn gets its core players back on the court (See: Still Waiting On The Theoretical Nets (substack.com)).
What slipped a bit under the radar, however, was a comment from Nets Head Coach Steve Nash in his pregame press conference related to one such player’s return—three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons.
Nash said that Simmons, the featured return from Philadelphia in the blockbuster trade of former Brooklyn Big 3 member James Harden, is further away in his ramp-up than Kevin Durant, who is rehabbing an MCL sprain in his left knee. Nash believes KD should be back for Monday’s tilt with Toronto, if not sooner.
Simmons, though, has not suited up for an NBA game since his disastrous performance in Game 7 of Philadelphia’s Eastern Conference semifinals loss to Atlanta on June 20. His self-imposed exile from the Sixers obviously affected his conditioning, so it would be normal to expect that he’d need a certain period of time to get back into basketball shape.
But folks, Simmons was dealt on February 10—that was two weeks ago. That’s about the same length as a typical NBA training camp. He’s not some 56-year old man who has been working at a desk for the last eight months. He’s 25 and a finely-tuned professional athlete.
The questions that need to be asked are: What has Simmons been doing with all this time and why might he need weeks, not days, before he’s ready to perform?
Nash said that Simmons has yet to participate in a required “high-intensity workout”—no 3-on 3s or 5-on-5s. No team drills either, just individual work. He’s been present, but if this were the NFL, he would have been designated as DNP (did not practice) on Wednesday.
While working out at the Nets HSS practice facility, Simmons was photographed getting lessons from former elite marksman Kyle Korver, now a Nets assistant who has had some success in improving other players’ shooting forms. Those pics drew heaps of scorn from folks a tad further south of Brooklyn.
Simmons’ shooting woes were always a sore spot in Philly, but it reached a boiling point last postseason, devolving to where he appeared afraid to not only shoot, but merely possess the ball, lest he get fouled by a nearby defender. Against the Hawks, Simmons shot 1-fo-5 when outside the restricted area and a horrid 15-for-44 (32.4%) from the charity stripe. His decision to bypass a wide-open dunk, dishing to Matisse Thybulle instead, during crunch time in Game 7 proved costly.
That was it for Simmons in the City of Brotherly Love. The feelings were mutual—the fans wanted him gone and Simmons initially refused to report for training camp and then claimed he was not mentally ready to play. He sought professional help while the team carried on without him until both sides got their wishes.
Nash wouldn’t delve into Simmons’ mental condition since he arrived in Brooklyn, but all indications appear that he has been received warmly by the organization and is trying to fit in with the group. He has been on the Nets’ bench during games, often seated next to Durant or fellow countryman Patty Mills.
So why isn’t he closer to joining his teammates on the floor? ESPN’s Nick Friedell reported that the Nets “are going to let Simmons come to them and say, ‘Hey, I’m ready to roll.’” Friedell inferred that the Nets not only want to get Simmons’ conditioning up to speed, they’re also attempting to “get his shooting rhythm in an order that we haven’t seen before” so he can be comfortable on the court.
In other words: Uh oh. We might be headed for a Markelle Fultz situation with Simmons. Like Simmons, Fultz was a Sixers No.1 overall draft pick who entered the NBA with poor perimeter shooting mechanics. The team’s efforts to fix Fultz’s stroke did not go well either, to say the least.
I have more faith in Brooklyn’s development staff than Philly’s, but that’s beside the point. The Nets (31-29) continue to slide down the East standings after dropping their 20th game in their last 28 outings. The schedule over the next two weeks, starting with a trip to Milwaukee on Saturday, is quite daunting. They could surely use Simmons’ elite defense and playmaking, even if it’s just for 15 minutes a night at first.
Yet it seems like there are other priorities with Simmons, even if it costs the club in terms of playoff seeding. From listening to Thursday’s postgame interviews, the Nets, a team that entered the season with championship-or-bust aspirations, sounded resigned to the possibility that they could wind up in the play-in round.
As the kids text in shorthand, SMH.
With the Nets, though, this looks to be another strange chapter in a season inundated by unnecessary drama.