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Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has been one of the central figures of the Nets since he came to the team during the 2021-22 season as a result of the James Harden trade. While plenty of things have not gone Simmons’ way during his time in Brooklyn, he has something to celebrate for himself.
Simmons turns 28 years old on Saturday and as such, he will be entering an important year for him as he seeks to finally put together a healthy season for the Nets. Simmons is going into the last year of his max extension that he signed when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers and is slated to earn $40.3 million over the course of the 2024-25 campaign.
Simmons has played in just 57 games in his 2.5 seasons in Brooklyn due to a variety of injuries, including back injuries that seemingly has limited his availability over the past three seasons. This past season, he played in just 12 games mostly due to a nerve impingement in his back that sidelined him for most of the season and rendered him ineffective when on the court.
Based on all indications from people like general manager Sean Marks and Bernie Lee, Simmons’ agent, Simmons is prepared to have a healthy and productive season as he enters a contract year. In the 2023-24 season, Simmons averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 58.1% from the field and 40.0% from the free-throw line.