March 10 has been highlighted on every NBA fan’s calendar as soon as the blockbuster trade involving James Harden and Ben Simmons became public. The Brooklyn Nets will visit the City of Brotherly Love and all the eyes will be on the many familiar faces who will be back at the Wells Fargo Center.
However, the attention will probably not lay so much on Andre Drummond and Seth Curry as it will on the Australian. Simmons was a big talking point for months in Philadelphia and he still is even weeks after he left the Sixers.
Simmons’ possible return to Philly raised a lot of speculation lately, given that it will certainly be a hostile environment for him as his relationship with fanscompletelywent south since the playoff exit last year.
Steve Nash downplays the impact the tough environment in Philly could have on Ben Simmons
The atmosphere at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday will probably be tough, to say the least, when Sixers fans see Simmons for the first time in a while. However, Nets coach Steve Nash believes he can take it.
“Your first time back in any city after a trade is always a little different and awkward,” Nash said, per ESPN. “And obviously there’s a history there so it is what it is. He’s a big boy. He’ll be fine… he wants to be there on the bench with his teammates.
“He’s on our team, he needs to be with his teammates and get the whole Philly thing out of the way a little bit,” Nash continued. “Maybe it never goes away, but the first time it’s always nice to kind of deal with it and move on… I don’t think he’s naive [enough] to think he’s not going to get some boos. I hope he enjoys it. It’s a part of the game I miss.”
Nash has a point, but let’s remember that one of the reasons why Simmons didn’t want to play for the Sixers again had to do with the disapproval he would receive from the stands. The Australian has been out for months citing mental health concerns, so it sounds strange that he wants to show up at a place where he’ll probably hear boos from everywhere. However, Simmons wants to be there for hiscurrent teammates and they’ll be there for him too.
