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‘ season-opening game did not go according to plan on Wednesday night as the team fell to Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 130-108. While the team looked rusty and struggled in several areas, one issue in the game was Ben Simmons, who fouled out after scoring just four points in the game, and Kyrie Irving wasn’t happy about it.

After the game, Irving told reporters that he talked to Ben Simmons about his importance to the team, telling him bluntly that “fouling out is not an option.”

“As we told him in the locker room, he’s a valuable piece for us and we need him out there. And fouling out is not an option. Playing aggressive is something that we want him to do, but we also want to play smart,” Irving said after the game, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Simmons did not play at all last season due to a back injury and was making his Brooklyn Nets debut on Wednesday despite joining the team last year. He played 23 minutes in the loss, scoring just four points. He did, however, have five rebounds and five assists before notching his sixth foul to foul out of the game.

[Brian Lewis]