Nets have set a target date for Ben Simmons' debut: report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Hold onto your hats, folks: we might actually watch Ben Simmons play basketball in the next couple of weeks.
Simmons, the enigmatic Nets star who hasn't played since June 2021 because he held out of the Sixers' season amid mental heath issues and a trade demand, and has dealt with back issues since his trade to Brooklyn, is still working back towards full strength.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
But according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, who was all over the Simmons-James Harden trade rumors a couple months back, Brooklyn has set a target for when they hope to see Simmons on the floor - yes, on the floor! - during their first-round series vs. the Celtics.
RELATED: Full Sixers-Raptors first round series schedule released
Here's what Windy is hearing:
"I can't even believe it to be honest with you, Ryan, but I am told that [the Nets] are targeting Games 4, 5, or 6 of this upcoming series against the Celtics for a Ben Simmons debut with the Brooklyn Nets.
"As soon as I heard that I said, 'Is he even playing 5-on-5 yet?' The answer is no, but they're hoping to ramp him up in the next few days. If there are no setbacks, they are expecting that Ben Simmons will be available at some point in this series."
That's crazy!
The idea that Simmons hasn't even run a single 5-on-5 scrimmage with his new team, yet the Nets are thinking about tossing him out in the middle of a playoff series against the hottest team in the East, is absolutely bonkers. Good luck with that, I guess?
It does line up with what The Athletic's Shams Charania reported last week, though, so there's definite steam building towards a return.
I almost feel bad for Simmons. (Almost.) It feels like a recipe for disaster. And after waiting all this time, you have to imagine he wouldn't mind simply waiting until next year to have a clean start.
But it's the playoffs, and the Nets know they shouldn't willingly punt on a year of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving when both superstars are playing such incredible offensive basketball. So it's worth a shot, I guess.
READ: Stephen A. explains why he voted Embiid over Jokic for MVP
And the range Windhorst has given here of "Games 4, 5, or 6" does give Brooklyn some wiggle room. If they take the L in five games and we don't see Simmons, this target date wasn't technically incorrect. He could've made his return in Game 6, but the Nets didn't last that long!
It's all wild, and feels very trial-by-fire, but Windhorst is making it sound like this could be a legit possibility:
"I'll say this: I have been hearing nothing but pessimism about Ben Simmons' availability for two months, really ever since shortly after the trade. This is the first time I'm hearing optimism, and I think that's notable."
We'll see!
