Steve Nash Says Ben Simmons Will Be on Bench for Nets vs. 76ers: 'He'll Be Fine'

Ben Simmons has yet to make his on-court debut with the Brooklyn Nets, but head coach Steve Nash said the guard will be on the bench for Thursday's road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. 

"It is what it is. He's a big boy. He'll be fine," Nash said Tuesday about Simmons returning to Philadelphia. "... He wants to be there on the bench with his teammates."

Simmons played four full seasons with the 76ers after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2016. He sat out the start of the 2021-22 season after telling the team that he wasn't "mentally ready to play to his expectations," per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Sixers eventually traded him to the Nets in February in a package for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

The ugly exit left some bad blood within the fanbase and the locker room. Sixers guard Danny Green initially predicted Simmons would avoid the March 10 matchup in Philadelphia.

"I don't know where his health is mentally, physically, I know he had other issues, and we all know he does not like to play in Philly," Green said on Inside the Green Room, via Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice. "If he does play in that game, I'd be highly surprised."

A back issue will keep him from playing, but Simmons will at least be with the squad during the game.

He might not receive a warm welcome at the Wells Fargo Center, although 76ers head coach Doc Rivers said Simmons deserves a tribute video. 

The 25-year-old did earn three All-Star selections during his time in Philadelphia, plus a Rookie of the Year award and two first-team All-Defensive selections. He was a key part of the team earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season.

On the other hand, Simmons also received the brunt of the criticism for the team's second-round exit. The guard averaged only 9.9 points per game during the seven-game series loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Thursday's game will be his first appearance in front of Philadelphia fans since the Game 7 loss last June.