Everyone in Philadelphia is over Ben Simmons, right? The diva point guard is Brooklyn’s problem, one of the many muddled messes going on up the New Jersey Turnpike. The Nets are a ticking timebomb with no clock.
Or maybe that bomb is already being diffused. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith reported that he recently spoke with Simmons and the three-time All-Star intends to play this season. The plugged-in TV personality didn’t say if Simmons would suit up for preseason games – remember, the Sixers travel to Brooklyn on October 3 – or wait to make his debut in the regular season. Either way, it will mark Simmons’ first dose of competitive basketball since June 20, 2021.
“Newsflash here, I ran into Ben Simmons. He and I had a nice conversation,” Smith said on First Take. “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.”
I ran into Ben Simmons and he said this..
It’s not a shocking development, but an interesting one. Now everyone breathlessly awaits the actual timeline for Simmons’ return to the court. And whether he’ll be joined in the starting five by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
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Nets Favorites in the East with Durant
Things are very broken in Brooklyn right now. Durant wants the head coach (Steve Nash) fired, along with the general manager (Sean Marks), and unloaded his demands on team governor Joe Tsai (via The Athletic’s Shams Charania). Yes, everything is in limbo – except that Durant remains under contract.
I know most people will believe unnamed sources over me but if it’s anyone out there that’ll listen, I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. Shit is comical at this point.
Smith went on a rant saying that the Nets need to fix it. They cannot trade Durant under any circumstances. Brooklyn would be the favorites to win the Eastern Conference if Durant returned alongside Irving and Simmons. Tsai needs to draw a line in the sand.
“I got Ben Simmons, I got Kyrie Irving, I got KD [Kevin Durant] … you know what I got with all that? I got arguably the favorites to win the East,” Smith said. “I’m not saying Miami, Boston, and Milwaukee can’t do it. But I got arguably the favorites to win the East, so you [Durant] ain’t going no damn place this season. Maybe next season we can talk about this, but you’re gonna give me this year with a full team on the court. Kevin Durant stays here.”
Durant Has No Plans to Retire This Season
Marc Stein caused a stir on Monday when he cited league sources telling him that Durant “was more apt to retire than play again for the Brooklyn Nets.” And Durant would continue to “cause a ruckus behind the scenes” if his trade request wasn’t granted. Tick, tick, boom.
Stein wrote: “If it wasn’t apparent by now, he really wants that trade to Phoenix or Miami or maybe even Boston or Philadelphia, no matter what it does to his reputation when he hasn’t played a single game yet under the four-year, $194 million contract extension signed in August 2021.”
James Harden and Kevin Durant are working out together in Barcelona #Sixers
Well, Durant clapped back loudly on Twitter to shut the report down.
Durant said: “I know most people will believe unnamed sources over me but if it’s anyone out there that’ll listen, I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. Shit is comical at this point.”
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NBA Insider Delivers ‘Newsflash’ on Ben Simmons, Sixers-Nets Rivalry