Getty Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets (R) looks on during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center
Every day we hear new updates on the status of a Ben Simmons first round return. Speculation started immediately after the Brooklyn Nets play-in game victory. The first reports had a game one return for Simmons. This was later clarified to a game four through six return, and the Nets stars saying that the team is preparing as if he won’t rejoin the team this series.
On Saturday, April 16, hope for the return escalated when the three-time All-Star was seen dunking at practice.
Ben Simmons just looked over at me and said — “Make sure you get this. Then dunked — and said “There you go.”
While Simmons did make sure the cameras were on him for the one-hand jam, it is the most movement we have seen aside from getting shots up pre-game.
The dunk is not the only update on Simmons that came on April 16. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also released his own reporting.
Woj’s Update on Simmons
Wojnarowski reported that Simmons has now been running and shooting without back pain for a week. With the encouraging news, the Nets expect Simmons to rejoin his teammates in practice this week. Thus far, Simmons has only been included in limited runs of 1-on-0 workouts, but sources tell Wojnarowski that will soon change.
As his status in practice is upgraded, Brooklyn remains hopeful of a return in their first round series against the Boston Celtics, even if that return is only 10-15 minutes per game, per ESPN.
Steve Nash offered his comments on the looming return of Ben Simmons and if participating in team practices is the next step.
“I would presume,” Nash said. “That’s not my job as far as the rehab and all that, but clearly to play in an NBA game, you got to have some contact and play the game a little bit.”
While Simmons’ status is certainly improving, it does not guarantee his return. “I think clearly he’s improving,” Nash continued. “But I have no idea if he’s getting close to playing or not.”
What Should We Expect in a Simmons Return?
While Simmons making his season debut is exciting, it is just that, a season debut. He has never played with Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, he has not played in over eleven months, and is playing in an entirely new system both offensively and defensively.
On the April 15 episode of ‘Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,’ Windhorst asked Jackie MacMullan about her thoughts on his return.
“Listen, I am a fan of what Ben Simmons can do, but I will say this. He’s a unique talent, he’s not a plug him in and go type of talent,” MacMullan said. “When he’s at his best, he’s got the ball in his hands and he is going downhill in the open floor.”
However, the hope around the star’s return is less about his offense, and more about what the two-time All-NBA Defensive First Team player brings to bolster Brooklyn’s defense against a juggernaut like Boston. But with his injury can that level of defensive play still be expected?
“He’s a great defensive player, but with a back that’s been a little cranky and you haven’t played in a whole year, how much are you going to ask from him?” MacMullan continued. “This makes no sense to me. It just doesn’t. If you had a healthy Ben Simmons would everyone feel different about this series? Maybe, but it’s late, and again, Durant has never played with him. Kyrie has never played with him, and Kyrie, we’ve all seen. He gets exasperated if guys are in his way or in the wrong spot. So I don’t know. I don’t love it.”
Whether or not Simmons returns will soon be seen, but for the rest of this series, we can expect a lot of speculation around his return and the impact a return would mean for the Nets. The speculation goes beyond fans and the media, it has Simmons himself fueling it with the creation of viral made-for-Twitter moments like a post-practice one-handed dunk. We will all continue to wait and see what comes from this and the exciting first round matchup.