Nets' Ben Simmons Says He Was 'Too Excited' for Return to Court After Year Absence

Ben Simmons took the court for the first time since the 2021 NBA playoffs on Wednesday, but it was mostly a night to forget for the three-time All-Star.

Simmons finished with four points before he fouled out in just 23 minutes in the Brooklyn Nets' 130-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. He did add five assists and five rebounds but said the moment got the best of him in his return to the court.

"I think I was just too excited, honestly," he told reporters. "But it was just great to be out there."

The Nets were among the most disappointing teams in the league last season as what was once a Big Three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden derailed. The latter was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Durant dealt with injury concerns and Irving missed significant time because he remained unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Simmons came over in the Harden trade and never played last season. However, the possibility that he could rediscover the form he once showed in Philadelphia as someone who can swing games with his passing and defense elevates Brooklyn's ceiling as it attempts to bounce back in 2022-23.

Yet some of the same concerns were on display Wednesday, as he missed both of his free throws, took just three shots and didn't attempt a three-pointer.

Durant's offensive brilliance on the way to 32 points was the only reason it wasn't an even bigger margin of defeat, while Irving was an ugly 6-of-19 from the field.

Simmons wasn't the only one returning to the court after missing the 2021-22 season, although things went much better for Zion Williamson on the other side. He posted 25 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists, giving Pelicans fans plenty of reason for optimism.

After all, New Orleans emerged from the play-in tournament and challenged the top-seeded Phoenix Suns without him last season. Now it has its own Big Three with Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum that could threaten the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Nets will need Simmons to reach his potential if they are going to be a playoff factor in the East, and he will have the opportunity to prove the first game was an outlier when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday.