Ben Simmons returns, affect he might have for Brooklyn Nets

After lacking practically three months, Ben Simmons lastly returned to the courtroom Monday.

However what he provides the Nets the remainder of the season stays to be seen.

Brooklyn’s tilt in opposition to Utah was Simmons’ first recreation since November 6, getting back from a nerve impingement in his left decrease again.

Permitting for rust and absence, the Nets are attempting to handle Simmons — and expectations.

“It’ll be good to have him again on the ground, that’s the very first thing for him to be round his teammates and compete in a recreation setting. He’ll be on a minutes restriction. He isn’t beginning,” coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned.

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“It’s been just a few months since we’ve seen him on the ground and there’ll be some line-ups out right here that we actually haven’t performed collectively. In order that problem of continuous to find out about your teammates when you’re making an attempt to win a recreation, we’ll have some completely different mixtures. Particularly with [Dorian Finney-Smith] being out, that adjustments issues. So there’ll be some line-ups that haven’t performed collectively.”

The high-priced and oft-injured Simmons had been restricted to simply six video games this season getting into Monday, and 48 complete because the Nets acquired him on the 2021-22 commerce deadline.

After lacking the earlier 38 straight, Simmons — incomes $37.9 million this season and $40.3 subsequent season — practiced with G-League Lengthy Island over the weekend and was cleared Monday afternoon.

Requested if Simmons would want to string collectively a run of excellent well being earlier than the crew might depend on him, Vaughn replied: “For me, he’s instructed me he’s able to go. Bought the sign-off from the efficiency crew … so he’s one other basketball participant for us. He’s going to attempt to assist us win. I’m going to maintain it so simple as that.”

The Nets — getting into Monday simply 18-27 and sitting outdoors the play-in spots — might use a wholesome Simmons, restrictions or not, particularly with Finney-Smith and backup centre Day’Ron Sharpe each out.

“He positively helps us. It’s good to see him again with the group,” Nic Claxton mentioned. “He brings this extraordinarily excessive basketball IQ, with the ability to defend a number of positions … [and] rebounding. So we’re positively completely satisfied to have him again.

“He’s been diligent, he’s been locked-in on his rehab. In fact, no one desires to undergo what he’s going via along with his again harm and every part. However he’s completely satisfied to be again. I’m simply completely satisfied to see how every part will look with him again with the group.”

Their presumptive prime seven of Simmons, Claxton, Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas and Spencer Dinwiddie have been obtainable simply as soon as all season: Opening Night time.

They weren’t collectively in opposition to the Jazz, both.

“I’m excited. He’s a giant piece of what we need to do,” Johnson mentioned. “I solely obtained to play the primary recreation of the season with him, and even then I used to be contemporary again [from my own hamstring injury], so it wasn’t actually essentially full-go. So I’m actually excited to get again on board and re-establish that chemistry and the best way we need to play.”

The trio of Simmons, Bridges and Claxton had logged simply 4:18 with Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith, and 4:32 alongside Dinwiddie and Johnson getting into Monday.

They’d performed only a one minute every with Thomas and Finney-Smith, and alongside Thomas and Johnson.

In essence, they don’t know what these line-ups will really appear to be.

They’ll merely financial institution on being higher with Simmons than with out him, a switchable 6-foot-10 defender who can guard a number of positions and was averaging 10.8 rebounds earlier than the harm.

“That’s an enormous benefit. He can actually guard, and he may rebound on prime of that,” Johnson mentioned. “Every part that we need to do as a crew, he suits that mould.”

Claxton is likely one of the league’s greatest switching centres.

Following a disastrous try to go to drop protection, the Nets have performed higher defensively the previous month after returning to a switching scheme. Simmons ought to solely assist that.

“It simply provides extra versatility to the group usually, simply having one other man who’s used to switching, any person I’m used to taking part in with,” Claxton mentioned. “We did some actually good issues on defensive facet of the ball final yr, so simply with the ability to proceed so as to add to that.”

This story was initially revealed in The New York Submit and reproduced with permission.