2 min read • March 10, 2022
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Ben Simmons, the former 76er turned Net, makes his return to Philadelphia Thursday night, but will remain in street clothes for the time being.
The 25-year-old out of Australia has not played a game in 263 days and is still reportedly dealing with back soreness.
While Simmons actively participating in team activities is a positive sign, his conditioning and ramp up will take some time before he returns to the court.
Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash said recently that Simmons will not jump right into 5-on-5 and the team will take a gradual approach.
The trouble for the Nets is that time is not on their side.
While the cause Simmons' back soreness remains unclear, the ProBasketballDocs expect it to resolve soon and allow him to begin ramping up.
After tonight's matchup, the Nets have just 15 games remaining in the final month of the season.
At 33-33, Brooklyn currently sits in the eight spot in the East and would matchup with the Charlotte Hornets if the season ended today.
After giving up James Harden, the Nets would certainly like to see their trade target return to the court for the final playoff push and the potential play-in game.
Kevin Durant is back and Kyrie Irving may soon be able to play in home games as well, but adding Simmons to that mix would vastly improve an offense that currently ranked 12th in points per game.
Seth Curry and Andre Drummond have already proven to be valuable additions to the team's depth, but they alone aren't likely to make the difference in a playoff series.
While an exact date for Simmons return remains unclear, the ProBasketballDocs don't anticipate that will be the case for much longer.
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