Trainer claims Ben Simmons is 'better now' than during All-Star seasons

Though Simmons is still just 28 years old, there's little reason for fans to be convinced that the Australian is going to revert to All-Star form, or even better. Simmons has been down this road plenty of times before.

Even dating back to his time coming out of LSU as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons has always had trouble with injuries.

He missed his entire would-be rookie campaign with Philadelphia in 2016-2017 due to a foot ailment and then played in 275 regular-season games with the team over the next four years out of a possible 309 contests (88.9 percent). 

That culminated with Simmons' implosion during the 2021 playoffs, as his particularly rough showing in the top-seeded Sixers' Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks saw him used as a scapegoat.

He was traded to Brooklyn in a blockbuster deal in February 2022 that saw former MVP guard James Harden sent to Philadelphia. Simmons sat out the entire 2021-2022 campaign and his first season in his new surroundings was largely disappointing, as he was limited to 42 games and posted a career-low 6.3 rebounds per contest.

The lefty then played in only 15 games last season (none after Feb. 26) and averaged career-worst numbers in points (6.1), assists (5.7) and steals (0.8) while playing a career-low 23.9 minutes per tilt as well.