Ben Simmons Oct 19, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) controls the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets have gotten off to a rocky start and so has Ben Simmons. Simmons once again has had to sit out recently because of an injury.

“It’s been swollen. I had PRP (injections). I had blood drained a couple times. So it’s not a made up thing, you know? It’s a real thing,” Simmons said to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I get (the skepticism), but I think the one thing with me is that I’m a competitor. I want to win and play. So I’m gonna do what I can to get out there.”

Simmons’s explanations and injuries are starting to wear his teammates down. In fact, they had a players-only meeting where veteran teammate Markieff Morris express his feelings about Simmons needing to step up and overcome adversity this season.

Fortunately, Simmons took the discussion well, at least for now, but the Nets are going to owe Simmons $177 million through 2025, which also may explain why the team may part ways with the star soon.

Simmons has been injury prone since he arrived on this team and if teammates are now even questioning his heart for the game, you know he is in trouble and may not be long before he will be with another team.

{Shams Charania}

About Stacey Mickles

Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.