Ben Simmons

76ers head coach Brett Brown told reporters on Wednesday that Ben Simmons is effectively 100 percent healthy heading into the 2019-20 season restart in Orlando.

Fantasy Impact

“We’re going to treat Ben like we maybe would Shake or Matisse [health wise]. He’s good to go....we look forward to watching him with what I’m told is effectively 100 percent health,” Brown said. The Sixers, outside of Zhaire Smith, are healthy and ready to roll heading into Disney World. Nobody has elected to opt out of playing and the team is looking forward to the opportunity. Look for Simmons, Joel Embiid, and the Sixers to make some noise in the coming months.

In an interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Sixers head coach Brett Brown discussed Ben Simmons return to play, stating, “my opinion, and this is not confirmed yet, is that we are going to be able to inch him back into this. Is he going to be 100%, I don’t expect that. But I think he is going to be available.”

Fantasy Impact

Simmons has been dealing with a nerve impingement in his lower back since late February but has progressed well enough in his rehab to return to play once the season resumes. DFS players should be cautious deploying Simmons at the onset, given the Sixers clear intention of easing him back into the rotation. This injury has also hampered Simmons for a while so the risk of reinjury cannot be ignored. As the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers are poised to make a run at the NBA Championship but much of that success will be dependent upon Simmons' ability to remain healthy.

The 76ers will use PG Ben Simmons off the ball when the NBA season resumes.

Fantasy Impact

Simmons spends the majority of his minutes at the point, but has had success at other positions. "Simmons has played and excelled at the point forward and center positions this season," said 76ers' beat writer Keith Pompey. It was reported Simmons (back) is back to full health and will be available to play if or when the 2019-2020 NBA season resumes. The 23-year-old missed the 76ers' last eight games with a lower-back nerve impingement prior to the season suspending March 12th. Simmons is averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.1 steals across 54 games this year.

When asked about Ben Simmons’ health and whether or not he’d be ready to go if the NBA season resumes, Sixers GM Elton Brand told reporters in a news conference on Tuesday, “I’m very optimistic he’ll be ready to play if and when we’re given that green light to resume.”

Fantasy Impact

Simmons missed eight games with a lower back impingement prior to the season being suspended on March 11. Brand did say that due to the coronavirus pandemic, Simmons’ “recovery and rehabilitation have been methodical and thoughtful, and not rushed.” Before the injury, the two-time All-star point guard was playing a really good brand of basketball, averaging 16.7 points on 58.5 percent shooting, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 0.6 blocks, and a career-high 2.1 steals in 36 minutes per game. He remains a top-25 option in all fantasy league formats and could climb even higher up the rankings if he could improve upon his 62.7 percent shooting from the free throw line.

According to ESPN Senior Writer Jackie MacMullan, Sixers G Ben Simmons “will be good to go (if the season resumes) as his lower back impingement has all but dissipated.”

Fantasy Impact

Simmons suffered a nerve impingement in his lower back in a game against Milwaukee in late February. He was expected to be out for a lengthy period of time, and in typical Philadelphia 76ers fashion, the updates of Simmons being “re-evaluated” every couple of weeks was something that’s been heard before with the foot injuries of big-man Joel Embiid. But almost two months after suffering from the lower back injury, team sources now say that “if the season resumes, we’re expecting to have him.” Nobody knows when the season will resume, if at all, but Sixers fans and fantasy owners alike are thrilled to hear this news on Simmons, who was putting up top-25 production in 9-category leagues prior to going down with the injury.