The Simmons Nets Era Off To Horrendous Start

Well, this was not exactly the way the Brooklyn Nets were hoping the Ben Simmons era would kick off. Trailing 20-4 right off the bat, the Nets were absolutely thrashed by the New Orleans Pelicans 130-108, while Simmons fouled out with only four points. 

Ben Simmons tonight:

4 points
5 rebounds
5 assists
6 fouls (fouled out)
-26 +/-

👀 pic.twitter.com/hli1bMhbez

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) October 20, 2022

Ben Simmons finished the game with more fouls than points

— 💔 (@killmesIime) October 20, 2022

In addition to just four points, five rebounds, five assists, and six fouls, he took only three shots, and was a minus-26.

Stephen A. Smith said it all on ESPN's First Take this morning, calling Simmons "awful": 

"Absolutely no factor at all," Smith added about Simmons, saying he "didn't seem ready to go," and wasn't aggressive on defense.

Simmons came to the Nets last season in the big trade for James Harden with the Philadelphia 76ers. But the Nets guard sat out the entire season, with both a "mental unreadiness to play" and a bad back. 

After nearly 500 days since his last NBA game for real, Simmons was a shell of the player who supposed to bring defense, playmaking and a whole new look to the Nets. Granted, after sitting out for nearly a year-and-a-half, it may take a minute to get his game back... but this was ugly. 

“It takes time," Simmons said after the game. "Having back surgery and being away from the game for a year there are little things that your mind might tell you to do something, but your body’s not wanting to do that.”

The Nets are hoping his body starts to be a little more willing very soon.