Ben Simmons hasn’t played since June 20, when the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Since then traded to Brooklyn and he hasn’t made his debut in a Nets uniform. Steve Nash said that he is “extremely hopeful” the All-Star guard will play before the regular season ends.
Simmons sat out the season in Philadelphia, waiting for the 76ers to trade him. Now, he’s coping with a back injury.
“He’s just doing his rehab, strengthening,” Nash told reporters. “We’re still doing that side of things rather than court work right now.”
The Nets acquired Simmons at the trade deadline on Feb. 10 along with Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks, with James Harden and Paul Millsap joining the 76ers. The expectation was that he would have made his debut by now, but the back issue has limited Simmons in the past few weeks.
“The biggest thing we’ve tried to do is to have him be involved in everything,” Nash said. “The traveling is the one caveat where sometimes you’re weighing the cost-benefit of him on airplanes and buses and different beds. When he’s with us we want him in every meeting, in every walkthrough, in every film session, whatever it may be so he’s around the group. We’d love for him to travel, be with the team all the time, but we have to weigh that scenario as well.” Nash said.
Simmons status is unknown and if he plays before the end of the regular season he will be a great acquisition. Especially, he will be am asset of the defensive end during the postseason.
