There continues to be good buzz surrounding a possible debut for point guard Ben Simmons with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2022 NBA Playoffsand it has now been reported that the Australian could begin practicing against his teammates on the court next week.
What is Simmons’ physical status?
The possibility that Simmons will continue to make strides in his rehab and thus reappear in the Nets’ playoff series against the Boston Celtics has been reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The NBA insider has revealed that the Australian has been limited to 1-on-0 workouts, “but that’s about to change. Hope remains Simmons could make his debut later in the Nets-Celtics series.”
Simmons has not played a game since last June
Simmons, a three-time All-Star, has not played an NBA game since June 20, when his then Philadelphia 76ers team was eliminated by the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2021 playoffs.
After refusing to return to play for the 76ers since last offseason and citing mental health issues, Simmons did not play in a single game in the 2021-22 regular season until the February trade deadline when he was acquired by the Nets along with Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and draft picks, sending James Harden and Paul Millsap to Philadelphia.
Due to problems with a herniated disc in his lower back, Simmons received an epidural injection in mid-March and since then the point guard has been running and shooting pain-free, so Brooklyn hopes to get the Australian on the court at least 10 to 15 minutes per game, according to sources.
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