Though the 2021-22 NBA season was certainly an unforgettable one for three-time All-Star Ben Simmons, he sat out the entire first half of the season when he was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers and then began sitting out the rest of the regular season, tournament playoffs and playoffs as a member of the Brooklyn Nets.
Although there were rumours that Simmons would fit in with the Nets in the playoffs, it never materialized. In fact, according to a recent report, Simmons skipped the team’s group chat when the team asked him to play in the required Game 4 against the Boston Celtics. Simmons reportedly responded by skipping the group chat altogether.
Ben Simmons left the conversation:
“They’re having a team talk before Game 4 thinking he’s going to play the Boston Celtics,” NBA insider Ric Bucher said during a recent television appearance. “From what I’m told, Ben just left the chat. So, they asked him: ‘Are you going to play?’ Ben left the conversation. As if he hadn’t even answered the question, he just left the chat Kevin Durant is like, ‘Is this what I signed up for? Who am I playing with?'”
However, it’s incredibly upsetting for Nets fans to hear this. Simmons has now earned a reputation as a completely unpredictable player who teammates simply cannot depend on. He was expelled from the city of Philadelphia for being cut from the team.
Now it appears that he, too, left his Nets teammates. While he has the physical ability to become a true NBA star, he seems to lack the mental toughness to succeed. Sources said Simmons could enter the 2022-23 NBA season with a renewed interest and dedication to basketball. Otherwise, his future in the league could be very bad in the coming months.
Other updates we should know:
Therefore, Simmons cited mental health issues as the reason for his absence. Things only got worse as he would eventually be traded to the Nets in a deal that sent James Harden back to Philadelphia. But Simmons never played for Brooklyn and reportedly injured his back while working on his conditioning over the winter.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in May: “Simmons had planned to return for Game 4 of the Nets’ Eastern Conference first-round series against the Celtics, but ended up in excruciating pain on the eve of Brooklyn’s elimination. More than a week of painless pain.
Days are over.” Simmons eventually underwent microdiscectomy surgery to “address pain located in a herniated disc in his lower back,” according to Woj.
Although healthy, Simmons was one of the best and most versatile perimeter defenders in the NBA.
No one has any idea when he can get back on the court. We hope you like this article; if you have any queries regarding the above context, just share them with us through a comment below.