It will take a lot more than two preseason games to prove that Ben Simmons is back to his old form.
That won’t happen until he performs the same way in the regular season.
Even then, with his injury history, it’s difficult to know how much the Nets can count on the 27-year-old.
But Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft thanks to his unique combination of size and athleticism, has certainly given the Nets reason to hope that he might just be able to play like an All-Star again this season. .
After a promising outing in the team’s first preseason game against the Lakers, Simmons followed up with a similar performance Thursday night at the Barclays Center, albeit against a professional team from Israel, with a few fringe NBA players rounding out the list.
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Still, there was no denying Simmons’ quickness, as well as his deft touch on passes – and even solid form on mid-range jumpers.
For a Nets team that has Simmons under contract for another two years and $77 million, there is reason for optimism — including from Simmons himself.
“I’m always fast, I always jump high [and] I’m still strong,” Simmons said after the game, about the parts of his game he’s regained after dealing with knee and back issues last season.
“I had to adapt to the game, but I think my [basketball] IQ and the way I play the game, I am able to influence the game in many ways, [even] without the athleticism that I ultimately found,” Simmons said.
“I looked good [on the court]. I’m better.”
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Whether he can return to being a threat capable of scoring 16 points per game, grabbing eight rebounds and adding assists every game — as well as a few steals — will depend on Simmons’ health.
Simmons and head coach Jacque Vaughn said their communication has been strong about how much work he can handle.
For now, Simmons is enjoying the fact that he’s playing like he’s capable of again.
“It’s amazing,” Simmons said. “It feels really good. I’m not really one to talk to the media too much when I don’t have to, so it’s fun to come here, play my game and let everyone talk.
Like Mikal Bridges, for example, who noted another way Simmons impacts the game when he’s on the floor.
“Just the strength [he brings]” Bridges said.
“It makes our team a lot better and having him there, happy he’s healthy. … We need him there. It’s just the way our team was built and how good a player he is, we need him and it’s going to elevate us more.
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And Royce O’Neale, who said, “Just to see him back there, being himself, healthy, it’s a huge blessing.” The way he leads our team, as a leader, initially finding open guys, being aggressive, it’s a learning process for him and it builds confidence.
That confidence was apparent Thursday and will be tested again Monday, when the Nets play their next preseason game, this time against Simmons’ former team, the 76ers, in Brooklyn.
Simmons was a three-time All-Star in Philadelphia before being traded for James Harden in February 2022.
Many questions continue to surround the two mercurial stars, with Harden seeking a trade with the Sixers, and the spotlight will be on each of them on Monday.
This article was first published on The New York Postand has been reproduced with permission.
