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Nets guard Ben Simmons admits he’s extremely frustrated by the nerve impingement in his lower left back, which has kept him out of action since he sustained the injury on Nov. 6, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“It’s probably one of the most frustrating points in my career just because I wanna be out there to help my team win and compete,” Simmons said before Friday’s game against Denver. “But at the end of the day, it’s one of those things that’s a part of sports. Not every game’s promised. Injuries happen. Unfortunately, it happens. So, for me, it’s just focusing on what I can do now and doing what I can to get back on the floor and contribute.”
A couple of days ago, the Nets provided an update on Simmons, saying that he would be out for at least two more weeks as he continues to recover from the injury. He said he’s starting from scratch as he begins on-court work.
“I just started on-court stuff, moving around, get some shots up,” he said. “So just starting from the bottom and work my way up.”
According to Bontemps, while Simmons said he’s “looking forward” to returning, he doesn’t yet know when it will be, noting that back issues are complicated and don’t have definitive recovery timelines like many other injuries do.
“I have no expectations,” Simmons said of a specific return date. “I just come in every day and work. I think that’s one of the things about having injuries like this. I’ve known not to put too much pressure on the exact date or whatever it is. It’s just continue to get better and get to a point where you can play.”
The 27-year-old former No. 1 overall pick has been dealing with similar issues for the past three years, and back pain played a role in limiting him to 42 games last season. The three-time All-Star has played just six games thus far in 2023-24 and is under contract through 2024-25.
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Pelicans' exec makes team's stance on Zion Williamson crystal clear
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Aaron Rodgers had the worst possible start to Steelers camp
Aaron Rodgers made his practice debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, and it was not necessarily a moment he will want to remember. Rodgers’ very first pass was intercepted by linebacker Patrick Queen. The quarterback was trying to find top target DK Metcalf on a curl route, but was not quite accurate enough. Rodgers will not lose any sleep over this. It is not the first interception he has thrown in a practice session and it will not be the last. It did make for some amusing viewing for critics, though, and even some Steelers fans got a chuckle out of it. The Steelers are hoping Rodgers can lift them to at least a playoff win in 2025. If he succeeds, he is in line for a pretty big payday, and might even be able to go out on a high note if this is in fact his final NFL season. The other bright side to Rodgers’ inauspicious start to his Pittsburgh career? It will probably make Giants rookie Jaxson Dart feel a little bit better about his own first pass.
Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Callan Foote, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton have been found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario, according to reporting from The Athletic, after being charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian men’s national junior team. Carroccia said that she did not find E.M.’s [the alleged victim] evidence “credible or reliable,” in explaining her reasoning. “Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Carroccia said. The allegations against Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart and McLeod first became public in May of 2022, when reports emerged that Hockey Canada had paid to settle a lawsuit with a woman, known in court documents as E.M., who said she was sexually assaulted by eight players “over several hours” in a London hotel room on July 18, 2018. No charges were levied as a result of the initial investigation by local police, which was closed in February 2019, but the case was reopened after the 2022 report. Formal charges were then brought against the five defendants on Jan. 30, 2024. The trial began on April 22, 2025, and the verdicts were reached solely by Justice Carroccia after two mistrials influenced her to dismiss the jury. The NHL does not have a formal policy for players accused of or charged with domestic violence, sexual assault or similar crimes. Instead, the four players who were under NHL contracts at the time – Dube, Foote, Hart and McLeod – were granted indefinite leaves of absence by their clubs shortly before the charges were announced. All of them were pending restricted free agents on expiring contracts and were not extended qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents as of July 1, 2024. When asked about the playing eligibility of the defendants, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continually deferred action until after a verdict was reached. While none of the players are formally suspended by the league, similar situations have routinely required some sort of permission from league offices for them to play in or return to the NHL. If teams approach any of them with a contract offer, they will presumably wait for that guidance before registering the deal.
Jayson Tatum Wanted To Leave The Boston Celtics Because Of One Player
Back in 2017, the Boston Celtics made two major moves that would define their future, though not in the way anyone expected. First, they used the No. 3 overall pick to draft Jayson Tatum, a polished scorer from Duke. Then, in free agency, they signed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward to a lucrative deal. At the time, Hayward was entering his prime and coming off an All-Star season with the Utah Jazz. Tatum was the rookie with promise, while Hayward was expected to be the go-to forward. But fate intervened, and everything changed on opening night. Years later, on FanDuel TV, Hayward opened up about the dynamic between him and Tatum. He acknowledged that Tatum felt like he might have to leave the Celtics because of him. “I think, like I said, I was coming off of, I was an All-Star, felt like I was at the brim of my career. Like, we played the same position." "Coach Stevens probably would have been drawing plays for me instead of drawing plays for JT or JB or whoever else me or Kyrie. And, you know, because I got hurt, now he's getting the ball, he's getting more opportunities, and that sometimes is all it takes.” Hayward suffered a devastating leg injury just five minutes into his Celtics debut, an injury so gruesome that it instantly changed the Celtics’ hierarchy. Jayson Tatum was thrust into the spotlight as a rookie and seized the opportunity, eventually helping Boston reach the Eastern Conference Finals that same season. In short, Hayward admitted that if he hadn’t gotten hurt, Tatum wouldn’t have had the ball in his hands as often, or as soon. The offensive pecking order would’ve prioritized Hayward, a proven star with experience under Brad Stevens from their Butler days, over the unproven rookie. From Tatum’s perspective, that likely raised serious questions about his future. If the Celtics were building around Hayward, Kyrie Irving, and later Kemba Walker, where did Tatum fit in? It wasn’t personal, it was positional. Tatum and Hayward both operated as wings who needed touches and space to create. There’s only so much oxygen in an NBA offense, and Hayward being healthy might’ve delayed Tatum’s breakout. That tension, while never explosive, was quietly real. And according to Hayward’s comments, it was enough for Tatum to contemplate leaving Boston altogether early in his career. Thankfully for the Celtics, Hayward’s injury opened the door for Tatum, and Tatum never looked back. He’s now a six-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA First Team selection, and the face of the franchise. He helped lead Boston to an NBA championship and is widely viewed as one of the league’s top five players. Though he is currently recovering from an Achilles tear suffered during the playoffs, Tatum’s place as the Celtics’ cornerstone is unquestioned. Ironically, what once seemed like a roster logjam may have been the unexpected twist that launched a superstar’s rise.
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