The Brooklyn Nets traded James Harden for a Ben Simmons-centered package at the trade deadline. There is no doubt that the move improved their depth, as the Nets got Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to bolster their rotation on top of Ben Simmons. While both Curry and Drummond have made an immediate impact, Simmons has not played all season, and it seems as though he is still ramping up to play.
Shams Charania has recently revealed that while Ben Simmons has not yet played for the Brooklyn Nets, there is optimism that he’ll suit up before the start of the playoffs. There’s no doubt that would be a welcome boost for the Brooklyn Nets. Ben Simmons was reportedly ecstatic at the opportunity to join the Nets, so there’s no question he’ll show out when he finally returns.
What's goin on with Ben Simmons??
"He is gonna have to rehab that back but there is hope & optimism that he'll be back on the floor before the playoffs" ~@ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/mOhlBaiI7m
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 28, 2022
He had a flare-up in his back… the back is tricky… there is hope & optimism that at some point, before the regular season’s out he’s gonna be back on the floor. But in the meantime, he’s gonna have to rehab that back.
There’s no doubt that the Brooklyn Nets will need Ben Simmons to compete with the other top-tier teams in the Eastern Conference, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Hopefully, Ben Simmons will be able to come back healthy with relative quickness and help the Brooklyn Nets over the last stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently a play-in tier team, and this is far from the place they should be given the talent on their roster. Hopefully, we’ll see them climb upwards in the standings in the future. They should be a better team once Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons return from their respective injuries. While this season has been tumultuous for the Brooklyn Nets, they have a really solid roster, and perhaps we’ll finally see them get to the NBA Finals this season.
