New Brooklyn Nets All-Star guard Ben Simmons was on hand inside Barclays Center Monday afternoon taking part in shootaround ahead of the team’s game against the Sacramento Kings.
Acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia 76ers last week, Simmons was seen taking part in a meet-and-greet with new teammate Kevin Durant. He also took part in some limited work as the enigmatic former No. 1 pick reported to the Nets for the first time.
There’s reports that Ben Simmons could actually start practicing with the Nets on Tuesday as he looks to make his season debut.
Remember, the three-time All-Star had sat out the entire season in Philadelphia prior to Thursday’s deal that sent fellow star James Harden to the 76ers. Initially, Simmons requested a trade from Philly before reporting ahead of the season. He then sat out due to perceived mental health issues as a rift with the 76ers’ organization grew even deeper.
Related: Where does Ben Simmons rank among NBA’s top 50 players?
Ben Simmons and his Brooklyn Nets
All of this comes amid Brooklyn finding itself at 29-27 on the season and currently losers of 11 consecutive games. Durant remains sidelined to a sprained MCL he suffered back on January 15 in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is limited to playing only road games to due his COVID-19 vaccination status and New York’s local pandemic mandates. Since Durant was sidelined a month ago, Brooklyn has posted a 2-12 record and now finds itself as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
- Ben Simmons stats (2020-21): 14.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 56% shooting
On the court, there’s every reason to believe Simmons will be a better fit with Durant and Irving than Harden was. While he struggles shooting from the mid-range and the perimeter, Simmons is an elite-level ball distributor and defender. These are two things the Nets will need moving forward.
As for a potential debut with the Nets, there’s no telling when that might happen. It could be sooner rather than later with Brooklyn in desperate measuers to salvage the remainder of the regular season and avoid a play-in spot.