In an interview with Australia’s two big newspapers, the Melbourne Age and Sydney Morning Herald, Seth Curry talked about how his Aussie teammate Ben Simmons is doing and what he expects when Simmons returns to play in October. While noting that that Simmons is an “all-Star caliber” player who the Nets will need on the court, he also said that coming off a year-long holdout and back surgery, things could be challenging for Simmons. “There are always challenges. Foremost, he has missed a whole season. It is going to be a challenge getting his rhythm back playing basketball,” Curry said. “I don’t know specifically what he has been through, mentally – that’s hard for me to comment on – but having that year off, having that time off, of competing and playing five-on-five basketball is going to be just as hard … just taking some time and getting re-acclimated to playing high-level basketball, but he is a special talent, has all the skills. The Nets need him on the floor.”
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Curry is embarking on an Australian promotion for Foot Locker and spoke with the two papers a couple of days ago. He said he’s seen Simmons working out and liked what he saw. “I have seen him in the facility a couple of times,” Curry said. “Just like I said, [he’s] been doing a lot of shooting, working, working on his body and being in the gym, so, from everything I have seen, hopefully, he will be out there ready to go come training camp.” -via NetsDaily / July 24, 2022
“We are going to need what he brings to the table. Obviously, he is an All-Star caliber player,” Curry said. “Obviously, he is trying to make the most of this off-season, get back healthy physically and mentally. Like I say, he had a year off, it’s going to be good for him to get back out on the court and get re-acclimated.” Curry also said he has a selfish reason to hope for a return to his previous form which had him being selected to the NBA All-Star teams three times, the All-Defensive team twice and the All-NBA team once. “He creates a lot of 3-point shots for his teammates. Obviously, it helps me a lot, to get good shots. The pick-and-roll game, and the hand-off game, the two-man game … he is a good guy rolling to the rim and finishing. Defensively … he can guard a lot of positions.” -via NetsDaily / July 24, 2022
Simmons, a three-time All-Star, had successful microdiscectomy surgery early in the off-season, and he has since been rehabbing his back with a view to fulfilling the five-year, $US177 million (A$255 million) rookie max extension he signed in 2019. “I have seen him in the facility a couple of times,” Curry said. “Just like I said, [he’s] been doing a lot of shooting, working, working on his body and being in the gym, so, from everything I have seen, hopefully, he will be out there ready to go come training camp.” -via The Age / July 24, 2022
