Nets big man Ben Simmons is dealing with injuries on multiple fronts. While trying to rehabilitate his sore left knee, he has been afflicted with a sore back, as head coach Jacque Vaughn details.
“During his strengthening process he did experience some back soreness,” Vaughn said, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). “So now we’re in the process of strengthening the knee while also managing the back.”
Vaughn doesn’t know whether Simmons’ back issues are occurring in the same area as his surgically repaired herniated disc, Lewis tweets.
Simmons was shelved for five games due to the knee issues, and now will remain out as a result of the back problem. As Lewis writes, he is running short on time to effectively mount a return to the floor this season.
The 6’10” Simmons has found himself on the fringes of his club’s rotation of late. Across his five games prior to his latest injury, he averaged just 3.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in a mere 19.1 minutes per.
There’s more out of Brooklyn:
- The Nets’ defense has fallen off of late, as the team’s revised roster is struggling to learn each others’ tendencies during the home stretch of the 2022/23 regular season. Lewis examines those struggles in a separate piece (subscriber-exclusive link), exploring how Brooklyn can clean things up on that end of the floor.
- Brooklyn is aware that it needs to continue playing fast to maximize its personnel, Lewis writes in another article. “Coaches talk about transition and getting out and the guys we have, we’re all unselfish and play the right way,” starting small forward Mikal Bridges said. “We all can run the lanes and get out. So that’s why we always want to get stops, because I feel like we’re a tough team in transition. So that’s just the emphasis that we had, just getting out after getting stops, go in transition trying to get easy ones.”
- The newest Net, center Nerlens Noel – who is initially joining the team on a 10-day deal that is not yet official – will add more legitimate size off the bench behind starter Nic Claxton, Lewis opines in an additional article. Lewis adds that Brooklyn has recently enlisted two forwards, 6’7″ Dorian Finney-Smith and 6’4″ Royce O’Neale, as small-ball reserve centers.
Always something with Simmons.
Simmons the Phony
Doctor says I need a backiotomy!
Ben Simmons book going to be “how to throw away a career”. So sad the dude has talent, but no heart
What is his talent?
He can defend all 5 positions, including elite D 1-3. Elite passing. Above average rebounding for his position.
No jumper, injury prone, and lacking confidence are his flaws. Doesn’t mean the other things don’t exist though.
I know it’s been a while since an Orioles fan has seen talent though.
I know it’s been a while since an Orioles fan has seen talent though
LOL
#freebensimmons
Where did that guy go?
I recall that every Simmons article that hashtag would be there.
More Ben Simmons hate as per usual but funny how he’s had a reduced role and is now out and the very next point is that the nets defence has gotten worse.
Coincidence, I think not.
I thought at first he’d be a great fit with Kyrie and KD, as Kyrie was happy to give up ball handling duties to Harden and be the SG as he put it. Ben could’ve stepped into that role as the big strong point guard and instead of having issues spacing with Embiid, and lack of a secondary handler being Tobias. He’d have great shooter in Mills Curry Kyrie and KD. Yes there would be a problem with a centre in the way in this case Claxton but they’d manage and Ben could put up a solid 12-8-8 or something similar.
Then after the trade I was thinking sweet, rebuild now and with Bridges and Johnson they could be solid. Have this strong defensive identity, Ben again leading, Bridges in the Embiid role of second star, Cam Johnson for some floor spacing and Cam Thomas get a solid opportunity aswell in a Tobias Harris like role of third option.
However even that seems like never going to happen either. Obviously Ben’s to blame for most of this but I’d also say partly injuries and partly the coaches not knowing how to make it work.
Think moving forward he just need a fresh start in a smaller market team with little to no expectations. Brooklyn should still be able to get something with a little bit of positive value back but you just have to accept that 2 first was was all you got from Harden and Ben isn’t apart of the future plans. Better to move him now than reduce him to 15-20 minutes a night and terrible stats then his value will get even worse.
Here’s some ideas to finish
1. Ben Simmons for Gordan Hayward and James Bouknight
Brooklyn gets Hayward on an expiring deal. He’s still a solid player and that expiring money frees up a bunch of option for next offseason. Take a flyer on Bouknight aswell for the rebuild.
Charlotte take a chance on Ben. I’d play him at SF, they need to improve the defence and Ben would certainly do that. Although he’s not good scoring the ball he still knows how to engage an offence and create looks for others and that could be of real use in Charlotte.
2. Bradley Beal and Delon Wright for Ben Simmon, DFS, Cam Thomas and 2 first round draft picks.
Very unrealistic but lemme walk you through.
Brooklyn builds this side of Dinwiddie Beal Bridges Johnson Claxton. Beal number 1 scoring option, Bridges and Dinwiddie really solid sidekicks, Johnson gives you 15-20 on really high efficiency and great floor spacing. Defensively Dinwiddie is decent, Bridges is a beast on the wing and Claxton is also a beast among the bigs. You’d have a side back competing near the top in the east much younger and with room for development.
For Washington, your left with Simmons Thomas Kuzma DFS and KP as your starting 5. Better defence with Simmons and DFS, and a good amount of upside and potential. It gets you out of Bradley Beals insanely big contract and you get two first round draft picks. Doesn’t really make you better now but could do in the future…
3. Ben Simmons for Colin Sexton, THT and Rudy Gay.
Utah says we will take Simmons and hopefully develop him and build his value back up. Could be a great fit with Markeneen although could be terrible with Kessler… but they aren’t giving g up anything much of value anyways and if it works out then it’s a fantastic deal.
Brooklyn says sweet goodbye Ben, clears a bunch of cap space and gets Sexton who is still young and fits the timelines of Bridges Johnson and Claxton. Could be a starter or come off the bench but either way will contribute more than Ben and that’s a win for them
3 is the most realistic, 1 is a nice idea that could potentially work but I think Charlotte would rather stay as is and 2 is as I said unrealistic but interesting
What in heaven’s name. …..lol
What…
It was quite a write up you gave
Yeah my bad just hate replying to dumb comments so try to cover everything
Dude Simmons is a cancer at this point. He isn’t worth a bag of balls in a trade with that money he’s owed. Don’t type so much in the future.
He’s a cancer how so?
The Nets arw rebuilding and sent him the bench. That’s all you need to know. It is probably well known that I was one of the last remaining Ben defenders, but eveb I couldn’t take it. Quite frankly, I can’t fathom how you do.
A lot of sheep that label themselves as fans.
Just wait until he’s back balling and everyone wants to be a fan again. Just like Markelle Fultz. I’m not a Fultz fan, big DSJ fan tho. Being from New Zealand and watching Simmons come out of Australia and play ball in college I’ve been a fan for 2 long to let others dumb comments mean much. Everyone just says the same old dumb stuff no stats, no facts, no insight just corny as dumb stuff. May aswell be talking to a 16 year old.
Like I said quickly, they sent him to the bench and have since even worse defensively. The coaches couldn’t find a way to make Simmons and Claxton work and yes Ben has been a huge part of the problem I just don’t think the situation suits him at all. No eyes, no expectations and he will come back 100%
What others fail to realize is that Ben is not making his injuries up. Jacque Vaughn revealed that Ben had an MRI that showed inflammation in his back. That is concerning since he had back surgery during the off-season. He also had two PRP injections related to his knee injury.
Ben needs to lay off the Molly
Simmons is untradeable, those proposals are nothing more than fantasy lol
Ben Simmons + Claxton for Nurkic + Shaedon Sharpe + FRP + filler
BKN moves on and POR takes a big chance and adds defence.
Ben Simmons is too passive and will never become the player they thought he will be. The next Magic Johnson lol
6’4 center lol. What a joke this league is. Old NBA players would destroy the kids today. All the new age can do is shoot threes. Old school had real coaches, real plays, real defense, trash talking, real dribbling and real men play 82 games.
Ben Simmons – worst contract in the NBA