Stephen A. Smith is baffled as to how Ben Simmons has not suited up for the Nets yet.
In a “First Take” discussion with Kendrick Perkins, Smith ranted that the situation with Simmons is “utterly ridiculous.”
Perkins believed it had reached the point where the will-he-or-won’t-he-play entanglement with Simmons has become too big a distraction for the Nets, and that they should just shut him down for the postseason.
Smith disagreed, reasoning that the Nets could use Simmons, even if he’s a black hole on offense, to help their porous defense. If it was just for 10-15 minutes a game, Smith argued, that would still be worthwhile.
“What are we talking about here?” Smith asked, after going to absurd lengths to wonder what Simmons could be doing instead of playing, like going to get manicures and pedicures. “This is utterly ridiculous. The fact of the matter is he should’ve been playing since the time he came from Philly.”
Smith continued to wonder what is taking Simmons so long to play
“Guess what, he came from Philly, and you know what, mental health issues, we take it very seriously. He gets traded from Philly, however, … gets to Brooklyn, got a cheesy smile that would put George Foreman to shame. Hopping off the bench, high-fiving everyone, chilling out, all this other stuff, comfortable as hell!? Smith ranted.
“But now we’re talking about basketball and all of a sudden we don’t know if he’s ready. The brother ain’t played since last June. Okay, we got that. Don’t get me started with the pothole on the turnpike he must have hit, or he was getting his groove on and he hurt his hip!”
Molly Qerim briefly intervened: “Settle down…”
Undeterred, Smith continued.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re doing that you hurt your back when you ain’t played since last June,” Smith said.
There have been rumblings that Simmons could play at some point throughout the Nets’ first-round series against the Celtics, which begins Sunday. However, both Kevin Durant and Steve Nash have said they don’t expect an imminent return.