Cam Johnson: Healthy Ben Simmons Gives Nets Lots Of Potential Next Year

Cam Johnson spoke to Michael A. Scotto recently about the potential the Brooklyn Nets have next season. Johnson noted that with a returning and healthy Ben Simmons , the Nets might be able to show what they are capable of and be one of the surprise packages next season in terms of their performance.

“We get a healthy Ben (Simmons) back, and with the stuff we were able to do with him in the lineup last year, I think there’s a lot of potential.”

Ben Simmons has been a shell of himself as a player over the last few years. Simmons sustained a back injury in 2021, during his time with the 76ers. Upon being traded to the Nets, he didn't play for the rest of the 2021-22 NBA season. He made his return to the court in 2022.

While Simmons showed very rare glimpses of his old self, his numbers deteriorated quite significantly while playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Upon their departure, Simmons continued to struggle with his back issues, and they followed him into the 2023-24 NBA season.

Since joining the Nets, Simmons has played only 57 games in over two seasons. That means Simmons has missed 189 games since joining the team due to injury concerns. Nets fans are understandably skeptical about his injury concerns and are not holding out hope for Simmons to improve dramatically next season.

Can Ben Simmons Make A Comeback?

Fans have been asking themselves the same question each year since 2021 - Can Ben Simmons come back to his usual best? For the last three seasons, the answer has been a resounding no.

In the 2020-21 NBA season, Simmons played in 58 games and averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. He was the runner-up in the race for Defensive Player of the Year award behind Rudy Gobert.

Since that season, Simmons has played 57 games for the Nets and averaged a meager 6.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. While he may have the occasional good performance that reminds fans of his natural ability and court vision, he regularly fails to be consistent with those performances.

Of course, there is always the chance that Simmons will come back to his best next season. But given his track record, that is highly unlikely.

Actually, Nets fans might want him to remain poor, as the franchise is expected to tank in order to land Cooper Flagg, the standout player from the 2025 NBA Draft class. In fact, Simmons' $40 million contract is expiring, and he is being used as a cap filler for the middling Nets this year as they attempt to begin a rebuild with their newly acquired draft assets.

Simmons is one of the perfect examples of players who end up damaging their careers due to major back injuries. Simmons was one of the most athletically gifted players in the NBA prior to his injury. And in the years since, he has looked like a shell of himself. Maybe one day, he can make that comeback to his old level. But fans will only believe it when they see it.

Related: Stephen A. Smith Goes Off On Ben Simmons: "Lucky He’s Not In Prison For Theft..."

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