When the Brooklyn Nets acquired Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers, they knew there would be some obstacles to overcome to get him out on the floor.
Simmons has yet to play a game in the 2021-22 season as he is going through mental health problems. The 25-year old 3-time All-Star requested his trade from the Sixers in the offseason after a tumultuous summer and he even held out until the team’s third preseason game, against the Nets, and he then claimed he was not mentally ready to return to the floor and he didn’t play in any games for Philadelphia.
As he now gets set to join the Nets, there are still some things that Simmons has to overcome. Per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne on “NBA Today”:
Ben Simmons, from what I’m told, is going to really ramp it up this week and see where he’s at at the end of the week, but he’s getting close. I don’t think it’s going to–it’s going to be more like weeks rather than months.
This is an encouraging, yet still troubling, sign. The Nets don’t have much time to get everything down pat–only 23 games left after the break–and they need Simmons out there as soon as possible to integrate him with everybody. Weeks could mean he makes his debut in the middle of March and he only has a month to get everything ready for Brooklyn before the playoffs.
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