Brooklyn Nets point forward Ben Simmons says he may not be at his best for a while as he returns to the court for the first time in well over a year.
“It takes time,” Simmons said after Brooklyn's 130-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Alex Schiffer. “Having back surgery and being away from the game for a year, there’s little things that your mind might tell you to go do something but your body’s not wanting to go do that. But those are the habits, that’s something that I just need to continue to focus on and be aggressive regardless of the result."
Wednesday's contest was Simmons' first official game action since the 2021 playoffs, when he struggled in the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 7 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.
The three-time All-Star fell short of expectations in his Nets debut, tallying four points and five assists before fouling out in just 23 minutes of action. He missed both of his free throw attempts.
"We all don't have great games, it's just the nature of our job," Nets star Kevin Durant said after the loss when asked about Simmons' performance. "It's about just bouncing back and coming to work tomorrow and figuring it out."
In the Nets' final preseason contest, Oct. 14 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Simmons also fouled out in just 13 minutes of action.
"Fouling out is not an option," Nets guard Kyrie Irving told Simmons in the locker room after Wednesday's loss, according to Schiffer. “Playing aggressive is something that we want him to do, but we also want to play smart.”
Simmons fouled out just six times in four seasons with the Sixers and has never done so in a playoff game.
The 26-year-old began last season in a holdout with the 76ers before they traded him to the Nets as part of a blockbuster deal for James Harden in February. Simmons suffered a back injury and ultimately did not make his return during the 2021-22 season, as the Nets lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.