Nets star Ben Simmons makes bold prediction: 'Going to get back to where I was'

Since being acquired by the Brooklyn Nets via trade back in February of 2022, Ben Simmons has seen his league-wide status plummet from being considered a franchise cornerstone to a salary cap sore.

Through two years in the borough, the point guard has witnessed a regression in nearly every statistical category and has taken part in on-court action on just 53 occasions.

To put it rather bluntly, the Simmons experiment has proven to be a complete and utter disaster to this point in time, and, with another year left on his $177 million deal, many are hoping and, perhaps in some instances, praying that the front office will be able to find a way to ship him outbound during the upcoming offseason, be it via trade or by some other means.

However, while the fanbase and a vast majority of media pundits seem to believe the point guard's days of being an All-Star are now a thing of the past, during a recent interview Simmons seemingly made the bold prediction that, in time, he believes he'll be able to tap back into the level of play that, at one point, made him one of the best players in the entire league.

Nets guard Ben Simmons predicts he'll 'get back to where I was'

"I'm feeling better. It takes time. It's just one of those things where [it's] just up and down each day but I'm just staying with it. The storm doesn't last forever. I'm going to get back to where I was. I'm just staying on it. Each day is a day to get better."

- Ben Simmons

Despite his shortcomings during his tenure, a full-strength Simmons is someone who not only has the capability of being an All-NBA player (something he was back in 2019-20) but, also, possesses the abilities and overall skill set to help make this Nets team a legitimate playoff threat.

On top of his three All-Star nods and two All-Defensive selections, the 27-year-old sports impressive career averages of 14.5 points, 7.5 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and just shy of a block per game while shooting 56.1 percent from the floor.

With his table-setting and savvy ball-handling skill set, a completely healthy and in-tune Simmons is someone who could be of great service running point for the Nets, as it has become evident all season long that centerpieces Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas desperately need someone of this ilk to help ease their lofty offensive workload and lead them to cleaner and more efficient scoring looks.

Already this year we've seen the impact he has on this team when on the floor, with his first game back from injury against the Utah Jazz on January 29 where he registered 10 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in Brooklyn's 147-114 blowout win serving as a noteworthy example.

If Simmons can actually "get back" to where he was just a few seasons ago, this Nets team would be greatly benefited.

Hopefully this type of resurgence can begin at some point in the near future as the club looks to push for a Play-In Tournament slot during this second half of the 2023-24 campaign.