Shams: Nets' Ben Simmons May Not Have Played in Game 4 Even If He Suited Up

Ben Simmons' availability still might have been in question for Game 4 of the first-round series between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics even if he had been in uniform, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania reported Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show that Simmons wasn't guaranteed to play in what proved to be Brooklyn's season finale. His presence alone, though, would've sent a message to his teammates.

Many questioned the logic behind having Simmons make his Nets debut—his first NBA game in nearly a full year—in the potential closeout game of a postseason series. Especially given how much last season's playoffs seem to continue to weigh on him, that might have done more harm than good.

By declining to definitively rule Simmons out or making it clear he was unlikely to play, the Nets also put the onus on the player.

Because of that, the fact that the three-time All-Star didn't get back on the court fed into the perception he wasn't doing everything he could to support his Nets teammates. Charania's reporting for The Athletic threw more fuel onto that fire:

"For Nets players, the confusion was not centered around Simmons’ ailment, but with the perceived lack of attempt to play, effort to be in uniform and push his body in these high-stakes playoffs, sources said. Nets players and coaches wanted to see Simmons show resolve and enter this series to start his on-court Brooklyn tenure, even if it was for limited minutes on Monday or none at all while still dressing for the game."

There's no doubt that Simmons sitting on the bench for all 48 minutes of Brooklyn's 116-112 loss in Game 4 would've led people outside of the team to ask why he didn't play and why he was in uniform at all. But Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer echoed the tone of Charania's reporting and detailed how his presence would've at least had a symbolic impact:

"Simmons, in theory, could have risen Monday morning and determined his back felt good enough to play. There had been various people close to him encouraging him to retake the floor, even under limited minutes, to establish a deeper connection with teammates ahead of next season, sources said. By all accounts his ailing back is not 100 percent healthy, but few NBA players at this stage of the playoffs are free from some form of nagging pain. Members of his representation and other close contacts even advised Simmons to at least sit on Brooklyn's bench in his uniform and team warm-ups rather than the gaudy outfits that became a spectacle."

Simmons probably didn't help his case by declining to attend Game 4 at all, with the team citing his lingering back troubles as the reason. With the Nets on the brink of elimination, he was nowhere to be found.

The offseason will allow help tamp down any lingering frustration from all parties. But when the team reconvenes for training camp, Simmons might have some work to do to regain the backing of the locker room.