James Harden is expected to make his 76ers debut on Feb. 25, just after the All-Star break ends.
Ben Simmons will not play that soon, but he is weeks away, not months, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, speaking on NBA Today.
.@ramonashelburne with an update on Ben Simmons
๐ฝ๏ธ "NBA Today"#NBATwitter #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/s7X3XxjhVR
โ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃโ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ ๐ฃ๏ธ (@_Talkin_NBA) February 21, 2022
โBen Simmons, from what Iโm told, is going to really ramp it up this week and see where heโs at at the end of the week. But heโs getting close. I think itโs going to be more like weeks rather than months.โ
Simmons needs to ramp up his physical conditioning and deal with the personal challenges and mental health issues that kept him off the court in Philadelphia. Apparently all of that is going well.
There has been speculation that Simmons will play his first game at the same time Kevin Durant returns from his sprained knee. That way, Simmons doesnโt have to carry the same burden and deal with the expectations without the Netsโ best player next to him.
Durant has been doing some on-court work and expressed confidence in returning sometime after the All-Star break, but no timeline has been set.
How much time those two Nets stars get together โ and how many games Kyrie Irving can join them due to his unvaccinated status โ remains to be seen. Whether it will be enough to build some chemistry and good habits before going into a wide-open postseason with the Bucks, Heat, 76ers, Bulls and Cavaliers remains to be seen.