Ben Simmons sends warning to fans accusing him of 'robbing' Nets

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Ben Simmons is at a crossroads; the max contract that he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. Thus, it’s imperative for Simmons, if he were to earn more than a prove-it contract next offseason, to bounce back in what has been a tumultuous stint thus far with the Brooklyn Nets.

The fan perception towards Simmons is in the gutter; he has played in just 57 games since the 2021-22 season, which has fueled some harsh criticism towards the Nets forward. Some fans have even gone as far as to say that Simmons has been robbing the Nets franchise after spending the majority of his stint with the team on the mend.

But for Simmons, he knows that he was worth a max contract at the time of signing his five-year, $170 million deal. He simply could not stay healthy for the past three seasons, with the Nets paying dearly for his absence in more ways than one.

“People make comments saying I'm robbing. No. When I got that contract, I was playing at a super high level. Unfortunately, I had injuries. But for somebody to say that, it's disrespectful. [But] people can say what they want to say. They've got to live with it. At the end of the day it all catches up with you,” Simmons said in an interview with Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Simmons is perhaps hoping for some cosmic reparations for all the flak he has caught over the past few seasons for being unable to shake off the back injury that robbed him of the prime years of his career. The best revenge for Simmons will be to make his doubters eat their words.

Only 28 years old, Simmons, in an ideal world, will still have a long career ahead of him. But none of that is guaranteed. However, the good thing is that he can look to return to his previous form in a low-stakes environment, which he’ll be getting on the Nets amid their rebuild.

What does the future hold for Ben Simmons, Nets?

The Nets had high hopes when they brought Ben Simmons in as the centerpiece of the trade that sent James Harden to the 76ers back in 2022. However, Simmons has been a shell of his former self ever since the 2021 NBA playoffs and his NBA future isn’t looking too promising with his body seemingly giving up on him.

But Simmons is not fixating on what the future holds for him or the Nets. What he’s focusing on is what he can control now, and that is to assume a leadership role on a young squad.

"We have a younger team that I want to help these guys get better. I want to lead by example. I want to compete. Jordi [Fernandez, coach] is coming in first year. It's a big year for him. I want to be a leader on this team,” Simmons said.

By focusing on self-improvement, there is a belief from the Nets forward that the future will take care of itself.

“So f**k what happens next year, and what contract I get, if I get a contract. I want to do my job while I'm here and be professional and help these guys in any way I can. So who knows? I want to play as long as my body will allow me. So if it's one year, five years, six years, I don't know what it is. But I just want to keep going until I can't anymore,” Simmons added.

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