Ben Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, has informed NBA insider Chris Haynes that the Brooklyn Nets point guard has recovered sufficiently from his recent back injury to participate fully in training camp starting on October 1.
“Ben is completely cleared and eager to begin camp,” Lee stated. The 28-year-old Simmons, who is the highest-paid player on the team, played only 15 games (12 starts) last season.
During his two-and-a-half years with the Nets, the 6-foot-10 veteran has participated in just 57 games (45 starts), averaging 6.7 points with a disappointing shooting line of .570/.000/.431, along with 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
Recently, there’s been significant buzz about Simmons; his trainer, Chris Brickley, praised his shooting improvements this offseason. However, videos of Simmons performing well in workouts have become a recurring summer trend, often not translating into actual progress during the regular season.
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This year, Brooklyn is focused on rebuilding after trading away their top player, Mikal Bridges, to the New York Knicks for multiple future draft picks. The Nets finished last season with a 32-50 record, landing the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference.
They appear to be aiming for a worse record this season, as the 2025 NBA Draft class is expected to be strong, featuring potential top-three picks like Duke forward Cooper Flagg, French point guard Nolan Traore, and Rutgers shooting guard Dylan Harper (son of five-time NBA champion Ron).
Having Simmons occupy $40.3 million in salary cap space while only playing 15-30 games could facilitate a poor season. He’s in the final year of a difficult five-year, $177.2 million contract signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets could attempt to trade Simmons midseason, but that might involve taking back longer contracts. Depending on the potential draft picks offered in return, this could be a worthwhile risk.
Under first-year head coach Jordi Fernández Torres, this season’s Nets roster will feature several intriguing young talents, including emerging guard Cam Thomas and dynamic center Nic Claxton.