We haven’t seen many quicker falls from grace in recent NBA memory than that of Ben Simmons. In just a few short seasons, the Brooklyn Nets guard has gone from a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and perennial All-Star to averaging under 7 points a game during the past two campaigns, and his contract is widely regarded as one of the worst in the entire league. And while he only has one year left on that deal after this one, his time in Brooklyn could be coming to an end even earlier than anticipated.
Ben Simmons Could Be Done In Brooklyn
Ben Simmons’ season has come to an end due to his lower back injury.
He only played 15 games 😕 pic.twitter.com/5XI53DrHZA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 7, 2024
Injuries have been the name of the game for Simmons throughout his entire eight-year career. He missed his entire rookie season in 2016-17 with a foot ailment, and was then forced to miss the entirety of 2021-22 as well while dealing with a back issue. But in between those times, he became one of the more valuable pieces in the entire league, even garnering some MVP votes in 2020-21, and the sky seemed to be the limit given his limited offensive game.
But something happened to Simmons during his final year with the Philadelphia 76ers, as it appeared that his mental struggles were starting to affect his gameplay, and he came up small in the playoffs when his team needed him most. There was a falling out, and he was eventually shipped to Brooklyn in February 2022 while sitting out the season.
Simmons Played In Just 57 Total Games In 2.5 Years
Nets say Ben Simmons is out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 7, 2024
He wound up playing just 57 total games in nearly 2.5 seasons with the team. Simmons was able to play 42 games in 2022-23, and then participated in 6 of the first 7 of the current campaign, but further back injuries caused him to sit out from early November until late January, then was active for 9 of 12 games.
On Thursday, it was officially announced that the Nets would hold Ben Simmons out for the rest of the season, giving him a grand total of 15 games played in 2023-24. He finished with a stat line of 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assist and an obviously diminished skill set on the defensive end as well.
Brooklyn is currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, needing to finish in the top-10 in order to be eligible for the Play-In Tournament. They are currently 3 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final spot.
Simmons’ contract pays him $37.8 million this season, followed by $40.3 million the next.
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