With the NBA preseason underway, the Brooklyn Nets have finally been able to get Ben Simmons on the floor, which has ramped up excitement from fans on what the Nets can do this upcoming regular season.
However, head coach Steve Nash says that expectations need to be tempered for how well Simmons will play in the upcoming season.
“We’ll be patient with Ben because he is an incredibly talented and unique player, but he’s not going to be at his best in the short term and he’s just got to continue to slog through this period of returning to play and getting his confidence, timing and rhythm back,” Nash said (via Nick Friedell of ESPN).
Nash went on the say that there will be no pressure on Simmons from the organization.
“I think for Ben a lot of it is not just the understanding, it’s the reps,” Nash said. “He hasn’t played for a long time. He’s coming off of back surgery, so I think there’s some periods of indecision and confidence that he has to gain from playing. All of us do. We can’t take that much time off, join a new group and just figure it out Day 1, so he needs time.”
