Ben Simmons‘ return to the court may come sooner than expected. The three-time All-Star last appeared in a game in February, with the Brooklyn Nets later shutting him down due to a nerve impingement in his back. However, Australian national team head coach Brian Goorjian said there's a “strong chance” Simmons will play in the Fiba World Cup in late August.
“I think Ben’s mindset is getting healthy, getting in shape, and getting ready to play,” Goorjian said via Eurohoops. “And I think he has been along that line for a while and I felt it last time. As we sit now, there is a really strong chance that he plays.”
Simmons sat out the entire 2021-22 season with the Philadelphia 76ers before undergoing surgery on a herniated disk last summer. The former No. 1 pick played just 42 games with Brooklyn this season while battling back and knee ailments, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Nets general manager Sean Marks recently said Simmons is not expected to need a second surgery and is aiming to be 100 percent ahead of training camp.
“He is checking the boxes on meeting different markers along the way. So at this point, he does not need surgery,” Marks said. “That is the hope going forward, that he will not have to endure another surgery and we can keep progressing.
“The timeline for this is that he’ll be back 100 percent probably by Sept. 1. That would be the goal and he’s a full go in training camp and ready to go.”
After struggling during Philadelphia's second-round upset by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 playoffs, Simmons withdrew from Australia's team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Goorjian called that absence “unfortunate” but said he expects Simmons to take the floor this time around.
“There were unfortunate circumstances (when) he missed the Tokyo Olympics, but I feel like he is going to make himself available,” the coach said.
Simmons' NBA future is among the Nets' top question marks as they enter an uncertain offseason. The Aussie is under contract with Brooklyn for $78 million over the next two seasons.
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