While the Brooklyn Nets currently have to handle the big Kevin Durant trade request at the moment, they also have to hope that they can get some type of return on the big James Harden trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets sent Harden to the Sixers at the deadline with the big centerpiece of the return being 3-time All-Star Ben Simmons. While Brooklyn also got very good players such as Seth Curry and Andre Drummond as well as picks, the main part of the deal was Simmons who sat out all of the 2021-22 season due to first a holdout with the Sixers and then a back injury with the Nets.
Simmons underwent surgery after the season to repair the back issue and the expectation is that he will finally play for Brooklyn in the 2022-23 season.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith hopped on First Take and he revealed he had a conversation with Simmons that he will play in the upcoming season:
Ben Simmons, who by the way, newsflash here, I ran into Ben Simmons. He and I had a nice conversation. You understand? His personal business is his personal business. I support the brother. I had a problem with him not playing. That’s the past. He’s ready to go. He swears he’s ready to go. I’m rooting for the brother.
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Simmons is an extremely talented player and if he can finally step on the floor for Brooklyn, then that would help the Nets in a big way. They desperately need him out there in order to help Kyrie Irving and (maybe) Durant help Brooklyn make a run in the Eastern Conference.
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