When the Nets acquired Ben Simmons from the 76ers in February, there was a great deal of chatter surrounding his place on the team, his mental health, issues with his back and when fans could expect to see him play in a Brooklyn uniform.
Last season, one filled with plenty of adversity for Brooklyn, the three-time All-Star did not play in any of the Nets regular season games after his arrival, nor did he play in the franchise’s postseason run that ended with the team being swept by the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs. In fact, Simmons has not played in a NBA game in 466 days, when the Hawks defeated the 76ers in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Nets are slated to open preseason action on Oct. 3 against Simmons’s former team with the regular season beginning less than three weeks later. Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving believes Simmons has a great deal of talent and is intrigued by the guard’s role with the team this season.
