Ben Simmons has been stuck in a vicious cycle since being acquired by the Nets.
A new season begins. Simmons struggles to return to All-Star form. The 6-10 guard suffers an unfortunate back injury. Months of rehab follow. Then in the final weeks of summer, right before training camp begins, viral workout videos begin to surface on social media. In them, Simmons is always seen moving around well, knocking down shots from all over the court or dominating a random pick-up game in a random gym.
This summer was no different. After being limited to just 15 games last season because of a pinched nerve in his lower back, Simmons underwent a successful surgery at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami, then remained in Vice City for a large chunk of the offseason rehabbing.
Simmons has reportedly been back in New York for a while now ahead of the start of training camp next week. Chris Brickley, Simmons’ shooting coach who has also trained with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and countless other NBA stars, posted a video clip of his often-injured client working on his shooting mechanics.
One fan replied to Brickley’s video and said that Simmons was a lost cause. Brickley clapped back. He said that Simmons was not only moving around well but doing so better than he ever had, past All-Star seasons included. When Simmons takes the court for Brooklyn on opening night, Brickley believes that the 28-year-old will be in All-Star form.
“I’ve never co-signed a player that didn’t prove it when their season started,” Brickley wrote. “Trust me on this one.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Brooklyn, Nets general manager Sean Marks confirmed that Simmons will be healthy and available when the team opens training camp on Tuesday. He did not declare that Simmons had returned to All-Star from. But he did say that he is optimistic about Simmons’ health entering the 2024-25 season, and similar to many around the organization, he is simply hoping for the best.
Simmons averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season in limited action. He missed 38 straight games from Nov. 8 to Jan. 27. His $40.3 million expiring contract is fully guaranteed, and at this point, the Nets have shown no desire to trade or release him.
“You never want to see anybody have to go through a couple of back surgeries like you had and sit out,” Marks said. “Being the competitive guy he is, you wish him well, and you hope he can get out there on the court… Ben will be a full go in camp, which for us, that’s exciting to see. And for him, I think he is champing at the bit to be able to get out there and contribute. So, this is a big year for him, just like it is for the rest of us.”
First-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, who also spoke to the media on Thursday, said that Simmons is in a “very good place” and that he had a “really good summer”.
Only those within the Nets organization, and select few like Brickley, truly know how much progress Simmons has made this summer, how close he is to becoming the player he once was. But if Simmons actually is playing his best ball, if he is destined to be a major contributor for Brooklyn in 2024-25, Fernandez already has an idea for how he will fit into the team’s new-look systems at both ends of the court.
Perhaps this will finally be the season Simmons’ vicious cycle comes to an end. And if that does happen, what would it mean for this rebuilding Nets franchise?
“He’s one of the best playmakers to be able to do that, from rebounding to pushing to throwing the ball ahead,” Fernandez said. “His paint touches are unbelievable. He’s big, built like a truck, can get into the paint and spray [out to shooters], get to the rim. And as far as shot quality, if you can play fast, touch the paint, move the ball, reverse the ball body movement, ball movement, all that stuff Ben really fits all that.
“The number one thing for him and the thing we care the most about is his health. Ben being healthy, Ben is a very good player. And Ben being healthy, he can rebound, push, do all that stuff that can help us create really good shots.”
