Nets leaders already frustrated with Ben Simmons?

Ben Simmons had not exceeded the symbolic bar of ten registered since… May 14, 2021. It was during the fourth game of this famous series against the Hawks, the starting point of a long imbroglio between the Sixers and him, ending with his transfer to Brooklyn.

In the debacle of this night in Sacramento, the Australian thus scored 11 points (5/7 on shots) completed with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. We would probably dwell less on this kind of performance, coming from a player who still averaged 17 points four years ago, if he had not experienced health concerns in recent months.

” It takes time to build, especially with a nerve injury. It takes 18 months for your nerves to fully heal. People don’t know that. But over time, I am getting better and better. We have to keep moving forward », positive the 26-year-old playerreferring to his back surgery.

Do the Nets, desperate for stability and results, have enough “time” ahead of them? According to The Athletic, frustration over him has reportedly built up internally in recent weeks. The staff would have questioned his availability, his level, even his passion for the game. For example, he slipped away at the end of the game during Sunday’s defeat against the Lakers, forcing the team to claim left knee to justify his absence.

He doesn’t like bullshit around

” I love this sport, I love this sport. do i like all the bullshit surrounding it? No. But I love sport and that goes with it. A lot of things come with being in this position “, recalls the former teammate of Joel Embiid. This one says to know a pressure ” constant and understand that his situation, made of “ good and bad days can generate skepticism. ” But it’s like, when does it peak? There must be a moment when you say ‘shit!’ »

To those who doubt him, he goes further in his remarks on his back worries for The Athletic: “ I can’t do much (on perception). (The people) weren’t there when I couldn’t walk. They weren’t there when I was in the ambulance to be taken to the hospital (after a February 2020 game in Milwaukee). People weren’t there, so they don’t know. It was my first game, against Milwaukee, the start of my back problems. »

This convalescence which is not finished – the leader says to be ” saturated treatment including for his painful knee – will it prevent him from getting closer to his former level? Currently 12th in their conference with only six wins in fifteen games, the Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving, would like to know the answer as soon as possible…

always replacing

The good news is that he would have reacted well to the crisis meeting at the end of October. Expected in this role, Markieff Morris would have spoken in front of all his teammates to evoke the need for the team that the Australian responds present and that he knows how to respond to adversity on the ground. This night in Sacramento, for example, we saw him attack more frankly the circle in transition. Sign of an aggressiveness in the process of reaffirming itself?

One thing is certain, the Nets seem to be doing everything for him to flourish on this team. “ The main thing is that the group still have faith in him – which they do – and put him in a position to succeed. […] Offensively, I’m going to try and do my best to get him into position, whether it’s based on what five I put him on the court with, when he comes in… To try and make him feel at the comfortable as a player. This is my challenge », Displays Jacque Vaughn.

For the time being, this challenge is materialized by a status of simple substitute. Steve Nash’s successor knows the Aussie, used up for 20 minutes overnight, would like to play more. ” But I told him, with me, (priority) will always be what is best for the group. »