NEW YORK — Former Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is no longer the player he once was as he tries to find his way with the Brooklyn Nets.
He was a three-time All-Star while with the Sixers. After averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his second season, he seemed destined for a star career.
Fast forward to now and Simmons is coming off the bench for the Nets after they traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. In Saturday’s 101-98 loss to the Sixers, the former star had four points, three rebounds and three assists — a far cry from who he was with the Sixers.
“I always have an affection for the guys I coach,” said Sixers coach Doc Rivers. “It never goes away. It doesn’t and I believe he can get back to where he was with us. Especially, now that he’s gonna have the ball in his hands more. I think that’s what we did that kinda freed him up, but it’s just gonna take time. Now, what, it’s been a year and a half? I don’t think it’ll be overnight, but he’s working, and that’s all you can do. I hope the best.”
Simmons was moved to the Nets in the blockbuster James Harden deal at the 2022 deadline. The move was made following a tumultuous 2021 offseason that began with Simmons having a tough ending to Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Obviously, that was an ugly affair for both sides, but Rivers is ready to put that behind him. He wants Simmons to succeed in Brooklyn.
“It’s not like we’re enemies or things like that,” Rivers added. “At the beginning, right away, none of us talked to anybody. That whole thing was awful, but that’s gone now. That’s in the past and we’re human. We move on. That’s a part of life, man. Stuff happens and you just gotta move on from it and still love people and usually that energy is way more better than hate. I can tell you that.”
The Sixers will not see Simmons and the Nets again until the season finale on April 9 at Barclays Center.
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