It was a rough weekend and the Nets and Ben Simmons find themselves with a credibility issue this Monday morning, whether deserved in this case or not.
After all the ups and downs, all the competing leaks and the Nets imprecise language, their messaging that Simmons issue is recurring back pain has not been met well. Reggie Miller, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Legler all went on the record criticizing Simmons for missing a big playoff game, ignoring the circumstances for whatever reason. So did Stephen A. Smith, calling the Simmons saga “pathetic.”
Others, particularly Brian Windhorst, have said that Simmons back issue appears to be very real and that while there is disappointment, there is also understanding of all those circumstances.