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The Brooklyn Nets have been mired in controversy for weeks. Kyrie Irving is not vaccinated and the team isn't interested in allowing him to be a “part-time” player. Coach Steve Nash has been preparing for life without one of the NBA's 20 best players. Yet, they're not the only one in the conference with problems. Last year's top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers, have their own drama with Ben Simmons.
Here's the latest, per The Athletic's Shams Charania, on the problems faced by a Nets rival:
Sources: 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons is currently not mentally ready to play for the team and was receiving treatment on his back today due to ramp up process. He will miss Friday’s home opener vs. Nets and is not expected to play for an undetermined period of time.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2021
Simmons' camp has made clear he does not intend to play for the Sixers again. This (not being mentally ready and some “back pain”) is apparently the story he and his agent Rich Paul have decided to go with. It's possible Klutch Sports and Simmons are looking for ways to avoid appearing in games while also dodging the costly financial penalties. If an “undetermined period of time” turns into half the season or more, it may be enough for the Nets to best Philly in the standings.
Make of this what you will, but according to ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons is expected to “discuss his playing status with organizational leadership.”
All-Star guard Ben Simmons is expected to come early to the 76ers shootaround on Friday morning to discuss his playing status with organizational leadership, sources tell ESPN. Sixers play the Nets on ESPN and team is still hopeful that Simmons will participate in shootaround.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 21, 2021
That sounds like it means Daryl Morey, Elton Brand and Doc Rivers at least; but might it mean co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer as well? Whatever the case, it doesn't sound like Philly's problem is going to be resolved anytime soon.
Daryl Morey on @MikeMiss25: “People should buckle in.” Says the team can only get role players in a trade now, will only trade him for a difference maker.
“What’s our best chance to win a championship? Right now it’s re-integrating Ben Simmons to our time.”
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) October 21, 2021
Rejoice, the Nets are not the only team trying to win without the services of a top player.
The short-term impact here is simply that Brooklyn won't have to face Simmons, the 2021 runner up for Defensive Player of the Year, when the teams square off on Friday. If the versatile 6-10 guard is out it will make the Nets' 3 keys to a bounce-back victory that much easier.
Simmons has had a couple of his best career games against Brooklyn so it's one less problem to worry about for Nash and company:
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Ben Simmons was averaging 22, 9 and 8 in the final 15 games before the All-Star break and leads the NBA in steals per game.
Simmons v. Brooklyn (1/20/20)
• 34 points
• 12/14 FGs
• 12 rebounds
• 12 assists
• 5 steals
• 26th career triple-double pic.twitter.com/oK8HxxfU1y— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) May 27, 2020
That will be a massive lift for players like Kevin Durant and James Harden. Philadelphia starter Seth Curry got eaten alive by Atlanta's Kevin Huerter during the playoffs. Imagine what would happen if he got switched onto Durant. Danny Green got burned at times last season trying to defend James Harden. Sixers' coach Doc Rivers would often wait until the second half to deploy Simmons on Harden in order to avoid him picking up foul trouble. Now Rivers won't have that luxury at any point in the game.
But this story isn't just about Friday night's regular season game. After the Nets and Bucks, the Sixers have the third best title odds in the East per sports books. But if Simmons remains out of the lineup for a long period of time, it would be a big hit to the title hopes of one of the Nets' top rivals.
There are a handful of ways this could all play out. A few weeks ago we might have thought the Nets would have their full complement of stars and Simmons would hold out. But then Simmons showed up to rejoin his team as we learned Irving wouldn't even be allowed to practice or play in road games.
What happens if Irving gets vaccinated and rejoins the Nets as Simmons' holdout continues into January? Might either get traded? Might the two organizations simply swap dramas and trade them for each other?
A positive turn for one team, combined with a negative development (or continued stalemate) for the other could represent a seismic shift in conference power dynamics. Irving in with Ben Simmons out and the Sixers would pose no real threat to the Nets. But Simmons returning and Irving remaining out of the fold, suddenly that might be a close call if they were to meet in the playoffs.
Fans of other teams probably love reveling in these two big dramas, even if both scenarios are nightmares for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
From the Nets' perspective the latest update on Ben Simmons is a very positive development. Brooklyn's position as Eastern Conference favorites will only strengthen with every other team's misfortune.
