Nets gamers held candid assembly final month… with Ben Simmons’ struggles excessive on agenda

Ben Simmons’ season with the Nets has not been the return to kind that many would’ve hoped for, and Brooklyn gamers reportedly held an ‘sincere’ players-only assembly final month that touched on his performances.

Heading into Thursday evening’s tilt on the Blazers, Brooklyn is simply 6-9 with Simmons trying largely a shell of the All-Star he was in Philadelphia.

A profession 15.6-point per recreation scorer, Simmons is scoring simply 5.8 with the Nets as he is usually seemed devoid of the aggressiveness and explosiveness that earned him a max contract with the Sixers.

And after a deflating loss final month to the Pacers on October 29, Simmons’ teammates reportedly vented their frustrations with the could-be star.

In keeping with The Athletic, veteran ahead Markieff Morris spoke to the workforce about ‘how they want Simmons to succeed and that he has to reply when he offers with adversity on the court docket.’

Simmons was ‘attentive’ and ‘responsive’ all through the assembly, the article stated, citing unnamed sources.

On Wednesday, Morris appeared to disclaim particulars of the report, which adopted earlier, extra basic reporting of the assembly’s existence after the Pacers loss.

‘Who’s the supply? Y’all gotta chill with these false tales man!’ he tweeted. ‘Let me and my guys hoop!’

For his half, Simmons acknowledged {that a} assembly occurred on the time.

‘It was sincere. We had a dialog that clearly I am not going to speak about, however it was sincere,’ he stated. 

‘That is what successful groups do, maintain one another accountable. Be open and speak to your teammates and respect that.’

Simmons additionally informed The Athletic extra lately, ‘I get [the skepticism], however I feel the one factor with me is that I am a competitor. I need to win and play. So I am gonna do what I can to get on the market.’

Whereas Steve Nash’s firing and Kyrie Irving’s absence have been distractions for the Nets on their very own, Simmons play this season so far has been one other undesirable growth and headache for the teaching employees to determine.

Having missed all of final season with again and psychological well being points, Simmons is now battling a knee downside that has compelled him to overlook 5 video games so far.

When he has been on the court docket of late, his minutes have been restricted to round 20 per recreation, whereas he is additionally been moved from operating level guard to backing up middle Nic Claxton.

Wednesday’s loss to Kings, nevertheless, supplied a glimmer of hope as he scored a season-high 11 factors with 5 rebounds in 20 minutes.