Ben Simmons

Atlantic Notes: Rose, Raptors, Simmons, Watanabe

December 6th, 2022 at 8:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Derrick Rose has seen his playing time drop and he didn’t play at all on Sunday, Rose said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau decided to give second-year guard Miles McBride a closer look, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. McBride played 16 scoreless minutes against Cleveland.

“(Thibodeau) said he wanted to give a Deuce a look. That’s all he told me. So I understood,” the veteran Knicks guard said.

Considering Rose’s $15,596,339 salary for next season includes a club option, the Knicks could look to move Rose to a team in need of a backup point guard.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors need to solve their perimeter shooting woes in order to make a move up the standings, Josh Lewenberg of TSN writes. Toronto is shooting just 33% from deep, with Fred VanVleet (34%), Gary Trent Jr. (33.6%) and Scottie Barnes (32.1%) among those underperforming. “We’re not really where we need to be,” VanVleet said. “It’s not a bad place to be, we’ve just got to make that jump if we want to be a great team.”
The Nets’ Ben Simmons is hopeful he can return to action against Atlanta on Friday, Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets. Simmons has been out since Nov. 28 due to knee soreness. He’s averaging 8.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game this season.
Another Nets player, Yuta Watanabe, is hopeful he can return to action on Friday or Saturday this week, Friedell adds in another tweet. Recovering from a hamstring injury, he recently got some 3-on-3 work in. Watanabe, who is a one-year minimum contract, hasn’t played since Nov. 20. He averaged 14.5 points during a four-game stretch prior to suffering the injury.

Ben Simmons Out At Least Three Games With Calf Strain

November 30th, 2022 at 4:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Ben Simmons has been diagnosed with a left lateral upper calf strain and will miss at least three games for the Nets, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Simmons will be reassessed after the third game, which is Sunday against the Celtics. Brooklyn has two days off following the matchup with Boston, so the earliest Simmons could return will be next Wednesday against the Hornets.

The 26-year-old left Monday’s win over Orlando in the second quarter with what was called left knee soreness. Evidently further testing revealed that the injury was actually located in his calf. With Simmons out, the Nets relied more on Joe Harris and Seth Curry, and that will likely continue for the next few games.

The Nets also announced that forward Yuta Watanabe, the NBA’s leader in 3PT% (.571), underwent a second MRI on his right hamstring strain and the results were unchanged — he’s still dealing with the injury. He’ll continue to receive treatment and will be reevaluated in one week. Watanabe has already missed five consecutive games with the hamstring strain and will miss at least three more.

The good news is that forward T.J. Warren is targeting a Friday return, so his presence should help make up for the size lost from Simmons and Watanabe being sidelined. The Nets are currently 11-11, the No. 9 seed in the East.

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Smart, Heat Injuries, Knicks

November 29th, 2022 at 7:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons will miss his sixth game this season on Wednesday due to a sore left knee. Nets point guard Kyrie Irving said Simmons’ absences impact the club in many ways, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

“When he’s not out there we don’t have our point forward, our point guard, being able to initiate easy opportunities, push the ball in transition; so we’ll definitely miss him in the lineup,” Irving said. “Hopefully he comes back [soon], but if he’s dealing with it we just want him to get as healthy as possible and we’ll figure it out.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

In Joe Mazzulla, Celtics guard Marcus Smart feels he has a head coach that fully trusts him, he told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I think once Coach put his trust in me, we’ve seen how it’s allowed me to blossom and this team to blossom,” Smart said. “So just having a coach that can believe in you and allow you to run the team like he needs you to, that means everything. And then on top of that him being a point guard, that’s just an extra bonus, because he understands the pressure that I have to go through as the point guard in making everybody else happy and sacrificing your own for the team.”
The Heat released their injury report for Wednesday’s game and there’s no less than a dozen names on the list heading into their showdown with the Celtics, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Jimmy Butler, Victor Oladipo and Omer Yurtseven are listed as out, while Nikola Jovic, Dewayne Dedmon, Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson received the questionable tag. Two other players are probable.
The most realistic path to improvement for the Knicks is still the trade route, Ian Begley of SNY TV opines. They’ll continue to seek out top talent and have a surplus of draft picks and some young players to offer teams. Stuck in mediocrity, the only question is whether they’ll make a big move before the trade deadline or wait until the offseason.

Injury Notes: Stewart, Butler, Clips, Simmons, Hachimura

November 29th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart will likely return on Tuesday night after missing the last seven games with a sprained toe, tweets James L. Edwards of The Athletic. He’s currently listed as questionable.

Stewart was the starting center for Detroit’s first 15 games and is averaging 12.0 points and 9.3 rebounds. His return is expected to give the Pistons more flexibility to experiment with two big men on the court, since Stewart has shown the ability to stretch the floor a little.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who is not yet with the team in Boston, is expected to miss a seventh consecutive game on Wednesday due to right knee soreness, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. According to Chiang, the hope is that Butler will be able to play on Friday in Miami’s second matchup with the Celtics this week.
Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Paul George (hamstring) have been ruled out for Tuesday’s game in Portland, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. According to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link), Leonard didn’t travel with the team and won’t be in Utah on Wednesday for the second half of a back-to-back either.
Nets swingman Ben Simmons left Monday’s win over Orlando early due to left knee soreness, as Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Simmons, who missed five games earlier in the season due to soreness in that same knee, has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game game vs. Washington, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). It’s unclear if he might miss more time beyond that.
The Wizards announced today in a press release that Rui Hachimura has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his sore right ankle, which has already cost him the last four games. According to the team, Hachimura will remain sidelined on Wednesday and his status beyond that “will be determined by his clinical evolution.”

New York Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Randle, Knicks Centers

November 26th, 2022 at 1:55pm CST by Rory Maher

Health and confidence are the primary reasons Ben Simmons has performed well lately for the Nets, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

After missing all of last season due to mental health issues and later a herniated disc in his back, which required surgery in May, Simmons had a slow start to the 2022/23 campaign, averaging just 5.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.4% from the floor and 46.7% from the line through nine games (27.3 MPG). He also missed five games while dealing with knee soreness and swelling.

However, over the past six games (31.1 minutes), Simmons has started to look more like his old self, averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks while shooting 82.0% from the field and 61.1% from the charity stripe. The 26-year-old swingman still isn’t 100 percent yet, according to Lewis, but he’s clearly making progress.

“Healthy. Finally got his legs under him. He was off for two years. Y’all won’t even give him a chance. Y’all want to criticize him after every f–king game,” Markieff Morris said. “But the guy didn’t play two years. Obviously, y’all wouldn’t know, because none of y’all played in the NBA. He’s got to get his body right. There’s contact every night. Playing 30-plus minutes, it takes time.”

Simmons says he’s still working on finding consistency with his health and play.

“Yeah, I feel [the confidence]. I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of. I know what this team needs me to do, so I’m going to keep working and being consistent with my body and on the court,” he said.

Here’s more on the two New York-based teams:

Can Simmons and center Nic Claxton overcome spacing concerns and coexist in the Nets‘ starting lineup? Lewis tackles that subject in a member-only article for The New York Post. Head coach Jacque Vaughn acknowledged it will be a challenge at times. “Something we’ve got to figure out,” Vaughn said. “Because both guys do present some positives for us. Hopefully we can lean into the defensive piece with their length with Kevin (Durant) out there on the floor at the same time. But we do have to work through some spacing. We’ll try to play fast. Nic has that ability to run the floor and play fast, so hopefully we won’t have a bunch of sets in the halfcourt that we’ve got to make our way through.”
Power forward Julius Randle says he’s still adjusting to “playing off the ball more” after the Knicks signed point guard Jalen Brunson in the offseason, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. As Botte notes, New York ran a lot of its offense through Randle from 2020-22, when he averaged 5.6 assists per game. That figure is down to 3.0 per night in ’22/23, but he’s scoring more efficiently. “Just making the game easy, try and make efficient shots and keep the flow of the offense going,” Randle said. “I think it’s the flow of our offense. Break it down, see more, especially in my position where shots are coming from [and being] responsible for getting good shots … figuring out what spots for most efficient shots.”
The Knicks have played all three of their centers — Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims — three games in a row. Head coach Tom Thibodeau says that won’t always be the case, but he’s a fan of having so many options at the five spot. “It’s game-to-game. It’ll sort itself out,” Thibodeau said, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “I don’t think it’ll be like that every game. But I love the depth at that position. So all three guys are more than capable, all three can start, all three can come off the bench. It’s a good luxury to have.”

Sixers Notes: Simmons, Embiid, Maxey, Offseason Moves

November 23rd, 2022 at 5:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Before Ben Simmons faced the wrath of Philadelphia fans Tuesday night, he spoke to the media about his relationship with some of his former Sixers teammates and admitted that he hasn’t been in contact with Joel Embiid, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Simmons and Embiid were an uneasy pairing as the Sixers’ two stars during their time together, and they’ve remained distant since Simmons was dealt to the Nets.

“I mean, you’re not cool with everybody,” Simmons said. “You are not texting everybody. I mean, there’s certain people that you don’t talk to all the time. I have friends that I don’t talk to all the time, but we’re still cool. But that’s how life went.”

Pompey notes that the two stars’ games never fit together well and their personalities prevented them from connecting off the court. People close to Simmons thought he was more effective in games that Embiid didn’t play, according to Pompey, and Simmons believed Embiid was taking shots at him through his public comments during last year’s holdout.

Simmons took the high road on Tuesday, telling reporters that he enjoyed his time playing alongside Embiid.

“Obviously, it didn’t work out,” he said. “But you know, that’s life. Not everything works out in your favor. So I wish him the best. Obviously, not a championship … but the best.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Simmons believes Philadelphia has a future star in third-year guard Tyrese Maxey, who is currently sidelined with a fracture in his left foot, Pompey adds. “He’s incredible,” Simmons said. “He’s growing. He’s playing with great confidence. For me, when I see him, I love seeing him with the ball. I think he should definitely handle the ball a lot more than what he is, but he’s growing. He’s young. And I can’t wait to see in the future.”
When considering Simmons’ fallout with the franchise, Sixers management doesn’t get enough criticism for trying to trade him one month into his new contract, Marc Stein argues in his latest Substack piece. Simmons’ five-year extension had just taken effect during the 2020/21 season when president of basketball operations Daryl Morey offered him to the Rockets as the centerpiece in a potential James Harden deal.
With Maxey, Harden and Embiid all currently injured, the Sixers are in danger of sliding down the Eastern Conference standings until they can get healthy, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The team already went through the adversity of a slow start, with Doc Rivers briefly becoming the betting favorite as the first coach to fired. Windhorst notes that part of the problem is limited production from offseason additions, as P.J. Tucker is averaging just 4.0 points per game and Danuel House is contributing 4.5 PPG.

Nets Notes: Simmons, Curry, Watanabe, Warren

November 23rd, 2022 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Ben Simmons, who sat out all of the 2021/22 season in large part due to mental health issues, is still working with a therapist on how best to handle challenges like his return to Philadelphia on Tuesday night as a member of the Nets, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

As Shelburne details, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn referred to the road game against the Sixers as “the most hostile environment he’s probably ever going to be in” and said it would be a “monumental” hurdle for Simmons to clear.

While Brooklyn didn’t end up winning the game, it’s safe to say Simmons cleared the hurdle — he played 32 minutes and filled up the box score with 11 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. After the game, he said with a smile that he thought the boos and the “F–k Ben Simmons” chants were “going to be louder,” according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.

“I feel like I’m in a good place,” Simmons said. “I’m happy, I’m doing what I love. So to be out there and have that experience was amazing. Obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted. It’s frustrating to lose a game like that, but I think it’s a good step forward.”

Here’s more on Simmons and the Nets:

Within her aforementioned story, Shelburne says that a meeting between Simmons and Vaughn last Tuesday in Sacramento helped clear the air and put the three-time All-Star on the right track. “Sometimes I think guys just want to be heard,” Vaughn said. “And so for me to listen to him, about where he wants to get his game to, that he believes he’s going to get it back to an All-Defensive level. To hear those words means that we’re going to work on it together.” Since that meeting, the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged 14.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 6.5 APG on 78.8% shooting in four games (29.9 MPG).
Seth Curry has played in eight of Brooklyn’s last nine games, but the team is still being cautious with him as he comes off ankle surgery. Curry has been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest in Toronto due to left ankle injury management, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Yuta Watanabe, who leads the NBA with a .571 3PT%, has also been ruled out for a second straight game — he won’t suit up against his former team due to right hamstring soreness.
Vaughn provided a minor update on T.J. Warren on Tuesday, telling reporters that the veteran forward is now practicing against players and not just coaches, per Mark W. Sanchez of The New Post. However, it remains unclear when Warren will make his Nets debut. “No setbacks, so overall T.J.’s been getting a good body of work in,” Vaughn said.

Nets Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Irving, Watanabe

November 21st, 2022 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons turned in his best game since joining the Nets, just in time for a trip to Philadelphia, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. That matchup, in what will surely be a hostile atmosphere Tuesday night, will mark Simmons’ first time playing in front of Sixers fans since his bitter breakup with the team.

“I know what’s coming. That’s part of the game,” Simmons said. “Philly fans, one thing about Philly fans is they are incredible. They are die-hard Philly and they are everything Philly, whatever it is. I respect that about the city. It’s a sports town. I was talking to I think Yuta (Watanabe) before the game about what it’s like to play in Philly, and it’s an incredible opportunity to put on whatever jersey it is. That’s Philly, and it’s a unique experience.”

Simmons has prepared for the encounter by putting together his best week of basketball since physical and mental issues, as well as a clash with Sixers management, led to a 16-month layoff. He made 11-of-13 shots Sunday night with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a win over the Grizzlies. Simmons said he’s focused on the task at hand and not worrying about things he can’t control, like the reception he’ll likely get Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

“Me personally, if I start reading everything that’s going on and getting psyched out, that’s not good for me,” Simmons said. “So for me, I just want to stay focused, take it day by day, and I keep saying it but that’s what it is for me. Just keep building on good days and staying locked in.”

There’s more on the Nets:

Simmons started at center because Nic Claxton missed the game for personal reasons. Coach Jacque Vaughn said Claxton is expected to return Tuesday, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Kyrie Irving played 26 minutes Sunday after returning from an eight-game suspension, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Irving indicated that he’s thinking about filing a grievance over the suspension, but otherwise deflected questions about it and tried to focus on basketball. “I missed my teammates, missed the coaching staff,” he said. “… It felt good to get this game out of the way. Now we can move forward with the rest of the season.”
Watanabe, playing on a non-guaranteed contract, continues to look like a keeper, according to Alex Schiffer and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The league’s leader in three-point percentage made four of six attempts Sunday night, all in the fourth quarter. “He’s playing great. We love his energy,” Kevin Durant said. “He’s hitting big shots for us, so you always get excited for your teammates, especially guys who come in and don’t necessarily have a guaranteed spot on the team but work their way into the rotation and put their imprint on the game from day one.”

Nets Notes: Simmons, Claxton, Kyrie, Trade Options

November 19th, 2022 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Ben Simmons had his best game since joining the Nets on Thursday in Portland, putting up a season-high 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with seven assists in 32 minutes off the bench. He was 6-of-6 from the floor, 3-of-4 from the foul line, and had a plus-13 rating in a game Brooklyn won by two points, earning praise from his superstar teammate in the process.

“Incredible,” Kevin Durant said of Simmons’ performance, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I’m just happy for him because he’s been trying to get his form back, trying to figure his rhythm out. Tonight I think he did a good job just talking up, commanding the offense, commanding the team on the defensive side of the ball. He was incredible tonight. So we’re going to keep building on that and hopefully we’re able to get this next one, but he controlled the game and was able to get us back into it.”

As we relayed earlier in the week, Simmons’ inconsistent availability and play so far this fall had led to some frustration within the Nets’ organization, but his last two games have arguably been his best of the season. Simmons, who has talked about needing some time to get back to full strength following back surgery in the spring and a nagging knee issue this season, is encouraged by the progress he’s making.

“I’m coming,” Simmons said. “I’m getting there, man. It’s taking a little bit of time, but I got my own back. My teammates got my back, my coaches.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Simmons probably needs to be moved back into the starting lineup in order to maximize his potential, but doing so would mean pairing him with Nic Claxton, another non-shooter, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). Claxton is having a breakout year in his own right and doesn’t deserve to be demoted, so new head coach Jacque Vaughn will have to determine how best to deploy the duo. “The analytics spoke to us, and (the numbers said) the spacing just isn’t as good (when they play together) as when they’re separated,” Vaughn said. “So we have to figure out some solutions that way, because defensively if we can get Kevin and Nic and Ben on the floor at the same time, that’s a pretty big group with Royce (O’Neale) also. That’s a lot of versatility, so we’re gonna continue to work through it. We saw (Thursday) there was some success, and we’ll continue to learn about it.”
Kyrie Irving will have some adjustments to make when he returns from his eight-game suspension on Sunday, according to Lewis at The New York Post. As Lewis writes, Vaughn has preached a defensive-minded, team-first dynamic since taking over for Steve Nash and Brooklyn has responded by posting a 106.3 defensive rating during Irving’s absence, the NBA’s third-best mark during that stretch. Prior to Irving’s suspension, the Nets had a league-worst 118.3 defensive rating.
John Hollinger and Alex Schiffer of The Athletic weigh and debate various trade options for the Nets, with Hollinger ultimately concluding that the best approach for the club may be to simply play more games and “hope somebody’s trade value increases.”
Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post (subscription required) makes a case for why the Nets shouldn’t consider blowing up their roster this season, arguing that doing so would make a bad situation worse.

Ben Simmons Addresses Criticism, Discusses Knee Injury

November 16th, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Ben Simmons‘ inconsistent availability and underwhelming production has been a building source of frustration within the Nets‘ organization in recent weeks, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell Charania and Amick that some Brooklyn coaches and players have been concerned about Simmons’ “availability and level of play” and that some have questioned his passion for the game. The report is similar to one from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski earlier this month.

Simmons, who made his regular season debut with the Nets last month after recovering from back surgery, has missed five games in recent weeks due to a left knee issue. When he has played, he hasn’t looked like his old All-Star self — up until Tuesday, when he scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, the 26-year-old hadn’t scored double-digit points or made more than three field goals in any game this season.

Speaking to The Athletic, Simmons admitted that he’s aware of the criticisms being levied at him and understands them, but said that his physical issues – both the back and the knee – have significantly hampered him.

“You’re obviously not gonna be happy when anybody’s out,” Simmons said. “But for me, I’ve been dealing with the knee since the start of the season. It’s been swollen. I had PRP (injections). I had blood drained a couple times. So it’s not a made up thing, you know? It’s a real thing.

“… I’m on full overload with treatment, everything I need to do to stay out there. I’m just spending more time on the table, honestly, more downtime (where) I’m literally just leg up, icing, doing whatever I need to do – sleeping.”

Simmons said his back issues first flared up in February 2020, but that his back has been feeling much better since he went under the knife to address the injury.

“Yeah (the knee is a bigger problem than the back), which is good,” Simmons said. “And that’s one thing with the league. You’ll be starting to have some (trouble) with one thing and then you’re thinking about your ankle or your leg or whatever it is. That’s gonna happen, but getting it under control is the most important part for me.”

Simmons was the centerpiece of the trade package the Nets received when they sent James Harden to Philadelphia last season and was viewed as part of the team’s potential “Big Three,” alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The thinking was that Simmons’ defense and play-making would make him an ideal complement for two elite scorers like Durant and Irving.

However, Simmons hasn’t looked this season like the same player he was in Philadelphia. According to Charania and Amick, Markieff Morris spoke during a players-only meeting on October 29 about how the team needs Simmons to play at a high level and respond to adversity in order to succeed, and club officials and teammates have been in frequent contact with the former No. 1 overall pick to try to make him comfortable in Brooklyn.

After starting at point guard and averaging 31.8 minutes in his first six games this season, Simmons has come off the bench as a center in his four most recent outings, logging just 18.7 MPG. The Nets will need him to play a larger role to make a deep run in the postseason, and Tuesday’s performance provided a glimmer of hope. For his part, Simmons says he’s determined to get past his injury issues and help the team.

“I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor,” he told The Athletic. “I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”

As Nick Friedell of ESPN tweets, Simmons told reporters on Tuesday that he also feels as if the rust from missing the entire 2021/22 season is coming off one game at a time.

“It takes time to build up,” Simmons said. “Especially with a nerve injury, it takes 18 months for your nerve to fully heal, and people don’t know that, but over time I get better and better. Just keep pushing.”

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