When Ben Simmons and agent Rich Paul met with Nets leadership – including GM Sean Marks – earlier this week, Simmons told the people in the room that he’s experiencing a “mental block,” which is creating stress that could be exacerbating his back problems, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The setback Simmons experienced prior to his anticipated Nets debut in Game 4 of the team’s first-round series vs. Boston was initially described as a physical one — he was said to be suffering from renewed back pain. But Charania’s report suggests there are still mental obstacles to clear before Simmons returns to the court.
Reporting this week from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype backs up that idea. Fischer wrote that it’s “quite clear that the mental aspect of Simmons’ return to game action is the biggest hurdle” he has to overcome, while Scotto has heard from a source close to Simmons that the 25-year-old is “going through it right now mentally.”
According to Charania, Nets officials told Simmons in this week’s meeting that the franchise is willing to do whatever is necessary to support him, and Scotto hears that the team has indeed been “supportive at every turn,” making the three-time All-Star more comfortable than he was in Philadelphia. Simmons didn’t end up making it back this season, but Scotto’s source is “very confident” he’ll return to action next season.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Echoing Jake Fischer’s reporting from earlier in the week, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer suggests a Simmons trade this offseason is unlikely because teams are warier than ever about his condition. A source from a non-playoff team that was previously interested in Simmons told O’Connor, “We’re at the point we’d want to see him play first.”
- Within his story on the Nets, O’Connor writes that there were “crickets” earlier in the 2021/22 season when the team was reportedly willing to listen to trade inquiries on Kyrie Irving.
- The Nets had some interest in acquiring an athletic wing defender such as Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, or Marcus Smart prior to this year’s trade deadline, according to Scotto, who thinks the team could explore the trade market for that type of player again this offseason. Scotto speculates that Brooklyn might dangle one of its sharpshooters – Joe Harris or Seth Curry – in those talks.
- Goran Dragic, who turns 36 next Friday, isn’t considered retirement. The veteran point guard said this week that he’d like to play for two or three more seasons, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Dragic will be a free agent this summer after signing a rest-of-season contract with Brooklyn in February.
Regardless of where you fall on this issue I think we can all agree on this:
Klutch, the most powerful agency in the League, has done a MONUMENTALLY poor job in communicating whatever is going with Ben Simmons to the media.
We’ve gone from “Ben Simmons will NOT report to Philly” to Ben Simmons reporting is reporting to Philly to Ben Simmons is being kicked out of practice to Ben Simmons is having mental health issues to Ben Simmons has a bad back to now – UNBELIEVABLY – Ben Simmons’ mental issues could be HURTING his back??????
Is Klutch just trolling the media at this point? Just STOP LEAKING THINGS ALREADY?
It’s certainly worth a chuckle, but it’s not going to help Simmons get his 20M, and I’m sure Brooklyn is furious because now there’s NO CHANCE they can unload Simmons at this point. Not even Sacramento* would trade for him at this point.
*eh, maybe they would
Klutch has destroyed one of the most valuable teams in the league – The Lakers.
Klutch has all but ruined the career of Simmons.
Klutch has one of their highest paid clients, John Wall, riding the bench.
Rich Paul has played a role in almost every debacle that has taken place in the NBA this year. Mind blowing that he’s not being held accountable, or talked about more.
Yeah their reputation is taking a beating, plus add the cost of doing business with their superstars’ “friends” ala Thompson, etc. The sixers and Lakers are showing the league about taking harder stances towards their demands. Curious how they continue and what other teams do going forward.
And I mightily applaud all those accomplishments from Klutch … Keep up the great work, boys!!!
@Cursed
I truly, truly don’t understand the hatred towards Paul. He’s a freaking agent doing business with grown ass men who get a check to do THEIR job.
a) Hate it or love it, he did his job and rescued AD from the Pelicans to a championship contender.
b) LBJ, Paul, the Laker front office achieved their goal in 2 seasons going from a loser to a championship. True, things haven’t gone well but he DID give them one. And save that “bubble bull” the Lakers had no advantages over any other team. They all played in the same exact situations. You think the Lakers didn’t miss the support of their rabid fanbase?
c) Stop with this “ruined” dribble. Lakers had 5 losing seasons including 3 straight seasons with the worst record in their division. They were shunned by Kawhi, Paul George, Durant, Aldridge (2015) and LBJ, Wade and Bosh in the year of the max offseason. DeRozen, AD and Westbrook wanted to come to LA because of LBJ. Just like every other team that fell on hard times the Lakers post- Lebron will be fine.
d) You really think a player can DICTATE to a GM and owner every decision on player acquisition but couldn’t even get them to bring in a coach he wanted other than Vogel? They ask for his input AND he helps facilitate bringing in players willing to accept minimum deals. You must be a moron if you think a owner would allow his GM to be subjected to every LBJ player decision. If anything, they see him as their best recruiter. nothing happens without management being good with it. What can LBJ do? He signed a multiyear deal. He’s never demanded to be traded, he’s honored every contract and he’s not going to sit out and not play so any power GIVEN to him is his voice on players that can help him bring another chip, and it’s given not taken.
e) Wall is under contract. Houston mgmt acquired him to get rid of Westbrook. They wanted to develope Green and Porter Jr. They didn’t want him to play. Both sides AGREED to not play Wall because they were hoping they could move at the trade deadline and they felt sitting him would keep him healthy and an option to be moved during the trade deadline. Not a single person said or inferred that Wall/ Paul refused to play for Houston.
You guys act as if Paul is eating babies and drinking their blood. grow up
I mean let’s face it, most agents are educated with law degrees. Rich Paul has an education in selling jerseys out of the back of cars. He was handed a job at CAA because of his friendship with Lebron and again was able to start Klutch because of Lebron. He’s being exposed at this point for running a trash agency and is in way over his head.
@Millville
A) He wasn’t handed a job. He was given an opportunity. But he still had to put the work in to become an agent. He’s soooooo bad at his job that his client list includes…
AD, Wall, Lonzo, Sexton, Garland, Simmons, Maxey, Draymond. Zach Lavine, Dejounte Murray, Miles Bridges and 20 other guys.
Ohh… and then he acquired a football management agency that has Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, Melvin Gordon, Alvin Kamara, Jarvis Landry and other pro bowlers.
Oh and then his company merges with one of the biggest multi entertainment conglomerates in United Talent Agency and now sits on it’s board of directors. An agency with the biggest client list of A list actors, musical acts and film producers. No one GAVE him that. What was given to him was similar to the nepotism shown throughout all industries where a kid knows someone, family or family friend, that gives them a shot to start at the bottom and work their way up. You think CAA just GAVE him his credentials so he could then COMPETE against him? He EARNED everything… facts!! No nba player is risking their livelihood just because he’s friends with LBJ. He gets them signed to lucrative deals.
He only got the job because he happened to know LeBron growing up and was in his inner circle coming out of the draft. So, yes, he was more or less handed the job.
Jeez, does Rich Paul pay you by the word? So many words devoted to someone like him is kind of odd. And I’m not even someone that hates him nearly as much as some others.
Are you an agent yourself? Have a family member who is an agent? I don’t get it.
Clearly you know more about details of Rich Paul’s life and career than anyone on this board. But previous accomplishments have little to do with assessing what his agency has done this season vis-a-vis Simmons.
Drama !!!
Sometimes I wonder whether Ben has been colluding with HR, TA, and all of the other sports sites/blogs in order to get us to click and comment on all of this nonsense over and over. This saga will never end :D
that’s why el don always checks in
El Don checks in to make crazy statements and then blocks anyone that doesn’t agree with him. El Don is always wrong so go the opposite when he shows up.
Time for Goran to come home, hopefully. That’s the 1 thing missing from this current run. Wish he was here with the Heat
If possible the Nets should just move Simmons to somewhere like the Kings or even the PBL ( Philippines Basketball League ) and just get him out of there!
Maybe he can join King James and the Lakers send Westbrook to the Nets in exchange…
I had to stop reading after “mental block leading to his back pain” and I just said “gt f oh”. Then I scrolled to the comment section… You guys def never disappoint
So basically Ben is sad
So many issues with this team.
First of all Ben, he’s really let his team down, Kyrie can’t complain cause he’s been doing that all season. However end of the day do they still have a roster capable of a title run.. yes. So it’s not all doom and gloom. It’s just a tough patch for them.
Steve Nash needs to step down to an assistant role and hire a HC with some experience.
Roster wise, I think the big hole you need to fill is someone to start at centre. Drummond ain’t it. Serge Ibaka makes sense, will be cheap and would fit having played with KD. Greg Monroe would serve as veteran presence with Shapre behind him.
Secondly, what do you do with Bruce Brown?
After that, you need to add some defenders at the likely expense of a shooter. For me that is Seth Curry, Joe Harris has proved himself over the years.
What I think he’s to happen:
1. Demote Nash to an assistant
2. Hire an experienced HC like DAntoni, Stotts, Vogel, Joerger or Rivers if he becomes available
3. In FA sign Serge Ibaka, Greg Monroe, Joe Ingles all for the vets min. Bring back Bruce Brown if the money doesn’t get to be to much.
4. Trade Seth Curry and Cam Thomas for Danny Green, Shake Milton and Paul Reed.
Leaving the Nets to line up
1. Simmons. Mills. Shake
2. Kyrie . Brown. Green
3. Joe Harris. Ingles. Edwards
4. KD. Griffin. Reed
5. Ibaka. Monroe. Sharpe
Play pace and space not just iso ball. Kyrie wanted to play off ball to Harden now it’ll be to Ben. Ibaka at the 5 keeps the paint open for Ben to drive. Off the bench more of the same. Mills/Milton/Green/Ingles they are all shooters for spacing and for Ben to play his game. Green and i goes offer decent defence too. Brown will be the go to guy off the bench capable of doing everything. Expect Paul Reed to shine when playing at 4.
Defensively, Joe Harris and Ben are huge on the perimeter and down low Ibaka can block shots and cover space. You have Brown/Ingles/Green who are all good wing defenders off the bench and Monroe and Shapre can offer impact down low.
With the correct coaching this side would be right at the top in the east. But you need to build a team environment. No more distractions and everyone committed which we don’t see with this side
I think it’s hard to really judge Nash given the tumult of this Brooklyn team. They might need a new voice in the locker room, but hard to see who that might be when Kyrie is talking about managing the franchise with Joe Tsai.
Personnel wise, my opinion diverges slightly. Ibaka can’t even crack the rotation for Milwaukee and he should be Brooklyn’s starter? Honestly, I think he might be roasted at this point.
Monroe just isn’t an NBA player anymore. Ingles is good, but he’ll probably cost more than the minimum and he’s coming off an ACL injury.
Finally, I think Seth Curry is more valuable than Green, Shake and Reed combined. He’s one guy I would definitely keep.
I think the reality in Brooklyn is that, for all of the noise, they really have no moves to make. They can’t let Kyrie walk, yet they’ll be hard-pressed to find takers for him or Simmons until one or both proves they can stay on the court consistently.
So as complicated as this seems it actually might be simple by default. Kyrie needs to be available. And Simmons needs to not only do that, but also be amenable to playing a ancillary role – maybe not a “Draymond” role per se, but something in that vein.
If they can get the best versions of Kyrie and Simmons, then Curry and Harris and whatever flotsam they pick up on the minimum market is enough around Durant to contend.
But if Simmons starts shooting 15% from the line in the playoffs, or if Kyrie sails himself off the side of the Earth in April, then it will just be another season of What Ifs.
Respect your opinion and like some of the ideas.
Nash these playsoff was exposed for not being able to adjust. It shouldn’t come as a surprise considering he’s never had any experience as a coach ever. But it shows why they need someone else.
For Ibakas he isn’t the player he once was but he isn’t washed. 6’10, 36% three point shooter, 76% FT shooter, and for his career averages 12 points, 7.5 assists and 2 blocks.
A perfect 5 to space the floor for Ben, has played with KD in the past, a championship winner in Toronto, but good defensively.
Exactly what they need at the 5.
Monroe He probably is done.
I’d just rather have someone like him who can create a team spirit and is happy to be the 15th man on the bench rather than someone with an ego getting annoyed cause he’s not playing or just there cashing cheques. He will train well, mentor the young guys and be the locker room presence every title team needs.
Joe Ingles coming off that big injury and not to mention he’s 34 years old now. Playing with Patty Mills and Ben Simmons from Australia, and being on a playoff contender. Not expected to be a 6th man just a role player that’s perfect for him and he will take the min.
Seth Curry, I agree also he is worth more to the right team. But it’s hard trying to find that team that’ll be willing to give up something good and make a deal that works salary wise. Sixers will value him, They can give you Danny Green who is perfect as another 3 and D role player, Milton a great third string point guard and knows Ben Simmons. Lastly, Paul Reed, a solid back up big who not this season but last season was G League MVP. Sounds like a bad return but it’s actually really good for building a contending team.
That’s been the problem with Brooklyn it’s all about your name, who your friends are, what your great at but the players don’t mix well. Look Kyrie and KD two mates joined up and took over, recruited their friend DeAndre Jordan and James Harden. Along came a bunch of vets living off their names Aldridge, Millsap, Griffin etc. Jordan is cut, Harden is traded and what do you get? The best rebounder in Drummond, one of the best shooters in Curry and one of the best defenders in Simmons. Great heaps of talent but a terrible mix which resulted in a first round sweep exit. Title winning teams aren’t just a bunch of mates or a bunch of talent just lumped together. It takes coaching, commitment, dedication, selflessness something the Nets don’t have. These moves help surround their stats with guys with tons of experience, that are reliable and smart. They aren’t the best but they know what it takes to win and they won’t cause any issues.
Their roster was much better going into this season, and throughout, but Nash still couldn’t figure out how to use them from the beginning. He once again started the year without using Bruce Brown, and he just didnt seem to understand the versatility he had there, or really how his young players fit either. I said this last year, and the same thing happened, except this year they actually had a good enough roster
Must be nice to live like a King and be a mental midget!
All this time I thought the Knicks had bigger problems. This team has to be one of the big disappointments in recent memory to not only not succeed, but exit the way they did.
Send Simmons and Kyrie to the Lakers for Westbrook and and Davis. Westbrook gets rerouted to Charlotte for Rozier and Heyward.
Why the heck would the Hornets want to take the ball out of LaMelo’s hands and put it in Westbrick’s??? (And pay 50 mill for the honor)…
@emac
I promise you, LBJ ain’t looking to risk his name on Simmons or Kyrie. Horrible idea.
Really?
Now trading Davis for those two is dumb, I agree. But LeBron wouldn’t “risk his name” on Kyrie? The guy he won by far his most meaningful ring with?
Then how could you POSSIBLY explain this past season w/ Russ?
in the Kids movie Monsters vs. Aliens, General W.R. Mongers says to the female monster, “please don’t cry it makes my knees hurt.” Well, apparently crying effects the back too. BooHoo Ben has the blues, and he needs to either get paid for being sad or sent to the basketball team of his choice- an LA team. BooHoo Ben is an embarrassment. Stop crying, go shoot 5k free throws a day, cooperate with your coaches and team and play the damn game or you’ll be out on your butt before you know it.