As Ben Simmons prepares to take the court for the first time in over a year, he delved into what it’s going to be like playing for the Nets in 2022-23.
After an offseason filled with drama for the Brooklyn Nets, the 2022-23 season is around the corner. Besides having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back on the floor, fans are going to be able to get their first look at Ben Simmons in a Nets uniform.
The past year and a half haven’t been kind to Simmons, with headlines nagging after he requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers to him being ridiculed for prioritizing his mental health. After a blockbuster trade that sent Simmons to the Nets this past February, he’ll be making his debut in Brooklyn on Oct. 19.
In a stacked Eastern Conference, the Nets are expected to be one of the top teams in the league, however, so are the Sixers, who had a solid offseason after coming up short in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
The question is — Will Brooklyn be able to outperform its Atlantic Division rival in Philadelphia?
Ben Simmons believes that the Nets are a better fit for him than the Sixers
On the latest episode of Old Man and the Three with J.J. Redick and Tommy Alter, Ben Simmons appeared as a guest and opened up about both his new and old team.
After being asked about where he sees himself fitting positionally with his new teammates, the former Sixer said:
“I think the talent that we have and the type of players that we have, we’re going to be able to run the floor easily. We’ve got Claxton who moves incredibly well, Kev, Patty, Kai, Joe. We just got Royce, another great 3-and-D guy. I think this team right now is a great fit for what I do and what I bring to the game. I feel like it’s Philly on steroids kind of in terms of what we had when you [J.J. Redick] were there.”
Simmons was referring specifically to what Philadelphia’s roster looked like when Redick was there from 2017-19, but if Brooklyn can stay healthy, the Nets should, in theory, be better than the Sixers.
There’s been a lot of questions about what Simmons will look like playing alongside KD and Kyrie Irving. He didn’t get an opportunity to appear in the playoffs for the Nets due to a nagging back injury, but after spending the past seven months with Brooklyn, Simmons seems to be fully prepared to play in a few weeks.
The Nets will face the Sixers in the preseason on Oct. 3, but their first regular season contest will take place on Nov. 22 in Philadelphia. After months of anticipation, that’s going to be a game that every NBA fan should have circled on their calendar.