(Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
It has been said before but this upcoming season could be make-or-break for Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets.
After a very disappointing few months, Simmons was again pushed off the court for the remainder of the season because of an injury.
Some people have just given up on him.
It’s been a rough few years for the three-time All-Star but Nets general manager Sean Marks thinks that Simmons’ brightest days are still ahead of him.
Speaking to the press, Marks said he has a lot of hope for Simmons:
“I think the hope is that he returns to that (All-Star) level of play. I mean, if he was 35 years old, I wouldn’t honestly be able to tell you that. But I think knowing that he’s mid-20s and he has still hopefully not reached his prime, we’ve gotta make sure he can get back out there and get back to that form. And hopefully we see we see his game even evolve past that. But health is going to be the key to him.”
Sean Marks believes Ben Simmons hasn’t hit his prime yet
“I think the hope is that he returns to that (All-Star) level of play. I mean, if he was 35 years old, I wouldn’t honestly be able to tell you that. But I think knowing that he’s mid-20s and he has still hopefully not… pic.twitter.com/ceNIa04dkw
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) July 10, 2023
Simmons is only 26 years old and has played in the league for just five years now.
Marks has every reason to think that Simmons could bounce back from the drought he’s been in and become an even better player.
At his peak, Simmons was averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists a game.
But last season those numbers dropped to 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.
Marks said that health is key to Simmons’ success.
Some people aren’t so sure.
Beyond his physical well-being, many have questioned his mental and emotional commitment to the game.
Even before he got hurt, Simmons appeared to be second-guessing himself on the court and not playing with a lot of drive.
So while his health definitely needs to be improved, it feels like he needs to get his head back in the game as well.
Despite his recent past, Simmons is a very talented player.
Will he be able to show that in 2023-24?
The post Nets GM Believes That Ben Simmons Hasn’t Hit His Prime Yet appeared first on The Cold Wire.