Ben Simmons reportedly became upset when his Brooklyn Nets teammates inquired about his plans to play in the team’s first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
According to Ric Bucher on FS1’s The Herd, Simmons left the group chat without responding when the team discussed his potential return for Game 4 against the Celtics.
The questions surrounding Simmons have heightened ever since he requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers last summer and was subsequently sidelined from team activities.
Initially citing mental health concerns as the reason for his absence, Simmons was eventually traded to the Nets as part of a deal that brought James Harden to the 76ers.
However, Simmons never saw playing time for Brooklyn as he reportedly suffered a back injury while conditioning during the winter months.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned in May that Simmons had intended to return for Game 4 of the Nets’ playoff series versus the Celtics, but his back issues resurfaced, leading to his ultimate decision to undergo microdiscectomy surgery to address a herniated disk.
Known for his exceptional defensive skills on the perimeter when healthy, Simmons’ return to the court remains uncertain at this point.
