"We'll see what happens but all the pressure coming from every angle, I doubt that they'll pull back on him" - Draymond Green says he's a little worried about Ben Simmons coming back for the Brooklyn Nets
Draymond Green was shocked by the Brooklyn Nets' decision to have Ben Simmons return during a series in which they are down 2-0. On Green's podcast “The Draymond Green Show,” he said:
“I'm a little worried about Ben Simmons coming back. I mean, we'll see what happens, but all the pressure that's coming from every angle, I doubt that they'll pull back on him, but that's something to watch.”
All signs point to Simmons being available for Game 4 of their first-round series against the Boston Celtics. Simmons has yet to play a game with the Nets, and Draymond Green is worried about the decision to bring him back so late.
Barring a setback, Brooklyn's Ben Simmons plans to play in Game 4 on Monday vs. the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN.
The Nets have been hinting at Simmons' return to the court ever since he was traded to the team. However, a back injury has continued to keep him out.
It does seem weird that the Nets are trying to rush back Simmons, especially with his history of falling out with team management.
Green is correct that Simmons coming back could mess up the Nets' chemistry, making an already challenging series more complicated.
Can Ben Simmons come back and save the Brooklyn Nets?
The hype surrounding Ben Simmons' return to the court has been quietly growing. Pairing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with an elite defender and playmaker like Simmons seems like a perfect match.
However, chemistry still needs to be built, and the Nets' big three have not even taken the court together. While Simmons is theoretically a perfect fit, that still needs to be proven.
People really forgot how good Ben Simmons is…
https://t.co/QpC1jRdC5g
Against the Celtics, the Nets have needed a player like Simmons, with both games going down to the wire. Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum and borderline All-Star Jaylen Brown have been giving the Nets' defense trouble. Having another talented perimeter defender would be immensely helpful.
Simmons has also proven to be an elite creator who could allow Durant and Irving to work off the ball. This, above all, requires chemistry between the three.
Having Simmons in this series could turn around the Nets' 2-0 deficit. However, it could also go terribly wrong. Simmons' defense and playmaking may not be enough to outweigh the downside of such an abrupt season debut without any prior chemistry.