The Philadelphia 76ers ended their Ben Simmons saga when they sent the three-time All-Star to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that brought James Harden to the City of Brotherly Love. Simmons had success on the floor with the Sixers, but his time with the team went south quickly after the second-round playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.
Simmons did not play for the Nets after the trade in the 2021-22 season due to back injuries, but he has been on the floor this season. It isn’t going quite as planned. He is averaging only 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists while dealing with knee injuries. He is now being brought off the bench by new coach Jacque Vaughn.
Now, Simmons is facing criticisms from his Nets teammates. The Athletic Shams Charania reports:
According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation, the frustration surrounding Simmons had been building in recent weeks within the organization. The coaching staff and players have been concerned about his availability and level of play, with some questioning his passion for the game, those sources said. But even when he did play, Simmons’ struggles in his first nine games this season were part of the Nets frustration as well.
Simmons proved with the Sixers that he can produce on the floor. He has to battle through his current issues and work his way back to being the player he used to be in order to get his career back on track.
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