It’s complete mayhem in Brooklyn, and Ben Simmons can do nothing but watch as his team collapses from the inside out.
So far, Simmons has spoken very little about his tenure with the Nets. Since being traded to the franchise this past winter, he has yet to play a single game for the team.
He finally broke his silence this week amid ongoing trade rumors about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Here is what he had to say:
“Off-season has been great, great chance to recover, rehab after surgery and then we really locking in the gym, block out the noise and get ready for next season.”
Ben Simmons:
“Off-season has been great, great chance to recover, rehab after surgery and then we really locking in the gym, block out the noise and get ready for next season.” pic.twitter.com/sXdcx1TGsM
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 13, 2022
Remember, Ben hasn’t always been ‘locked in’ with the Nets. There was a point after he was traded when he cited a mental block as the reason for his inactivity on the court.
In a meeting with Brooklyn Nets leadership on Monday afternoon, Ben Simmons and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul spoke about the physical and mental hurdles remaining in the All-Star’s pursuit of a return to play, a discussion that made clear to the participants a need to keep addressing the mental side of that process, sources told ESPN.
Simmons reiterated what he has consistently told team officials since his arrival from the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 10: He wants to play and perform for the Nets as soon as possible, and still wasn’t ruling out that happening this season if the Nets survived Monday’s elimination game against the Boston Celtics, sources said. Boston won 116-112 to sweep the best-of-seven series.
In February, Simmons joined a Nets team with championship aspirations. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, they were in a position to run the East for years.
Now, Simmons is stuck as both of his co-stars angle for a trade out of town. The situation has changed dramatically for Ben and he’s doing what he can to make sure he’s ready for whatever comes next.
