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There could be a fair bit of eye-rolling in reaction to this one.
Since the close of the 2020-21 campaign, which ended with Ben Simmons infamously passing up a wide-open, late-game layup in the playoffs against the Hawks, he has appeared in just 57 of a possible 246 games.
And in those 57 appearances, he’s averaged 6.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists, while shooting 43.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Simmons is, by far, the Brooklyn Nets’ highest-paid player, but he’s understandably been written off by most fans and media.
And after sending Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks and reacquiring control of their 2025 first-round pick this past summer, the Nets tanking in 2024-25 has felt like a foregone conclusion.
But Simmons has been fully cleared to participate in training camp with no restrictions. And on media day, he created some online buzz in an interview with the YES Network.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Ben Simmons going on a revenge tour this year? 👀
“I think people forget me as a player when I’m healthy. … I’m pretty good right?” pic.twitter.com/uXhrAXsQ8s
If the 28-year-old is indeed that “good basketball player” again, the Nets’ season could go a couple ways.
With pre-injury Simmons facilitating for a roster that includes multiple competent veterans, including Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nicolas Claxton, and a volume scorer in Cam Thomas, Brooklyn might finish the season closer to 10th than 15th in the East.
With Cooper Flagg set to enter the draft next summer, that’s not necessarily a good thing.
So, the other potential outcome for a reminder season from Simmons is that he rehabs his trade value enough for some other team to take a shot on him in the final year of his deal.
Of course, continued decline is a possibility, too. For now, though, as is often the case during media day, it’s fine to be optimistic.
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