Since joining the Nets, Simmons has been hanging a free card and has not played a game for the Nets. Therefore, Simmons in his recovery period put more emphasis on family life. On April 1, simmons and his fiancée Maya were photographed walking their dogs on the streets of New York. Seeing this leisurely and relaxed scene, it is no wonder that some fans sighed: Xidi really lived an old age life in advance.
Simmons has not played for the Nets since the trade. Previously, Simmons had seen the March 19 game against the Trail Blazers as a possible Nets debut. But in the end, he postponed his comeback because of a low back injury. At present, Simmons still has no signs of returning, and he is likely to not be able to play in the subsequent playoffs. American basketball reporter Joe Vardan broke the news that Simmons has not fully resumed training, so there is still some way to go before the real return.
In a way, Simmons basically announced the season reimbursement, if the Nets can't go further in the playoffs, they may not be able to make Simmons debut this season. In a recent interview, Nash also said of Simmons: "It's clear that we want him to play for us, and everybody is looking forward to his return, but at the same time we're preparing every day for him not to come back soon, and no one knows when and how he's coming back." Simmons received an epidural injection of the intervertebral discs in his lower back. How effective this treatment will be, and when Simmons will be able to return to the field, is still unknown.
If Simmons were reimbursed early for the season, the nets would have suffered heavy losses. After all, sending Harden away before the trade deadline, Simmons as the most valuable chip in this deal, but the result is that he can't play for a whole season due to injury, which naturally disappoints the Nets management. The Nets are currently 8th in the East with 40-37 losses, the same record as the Hornets and Hawks, two wins behind the 7th-place Cavaliers, and ending the regular season in the first few places is difficult to predict.
However, the long-term absence did not affect Simmons' ability to absorb gold. According to agent Rich Paul, Simmons has signed a new three-year sneaker contract with Nike. Previously, Simmons and Nike's five-year contract expired, and he and New Balance negotiated, but in the end, Simmons chose to return to Nike.