Nets expecting progress reports on Ben Simmons, Day'Ron Sharpe
Nets guard Ben Simmons reacts in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
LOS ANGELES — With the Nets’ road trip ending Sunday, coach Jacque Vaughn said expect updates on Ben Simmons (back) and Day’Ron Sharpe (knee) after the team returns to Brooklyn.
Simmons, out since Nov. 6 with a nerve impingement in his back, was seen doing individual drills at shootarounds in Portland and Los Angeles. According to his agent Bernie Lee, he’s progressed to 3-on-3 work.
Vaughn declined to say what’s the next step for Simmons in his recovery. He did say that Simmons traveling on the last two trips is about making sure he’s up to speed as he’s getting closer to returning.
“All those things matter as he starts transitioning his way to being back on the floor,” Vaughn said. “So that gap of recall isn’t so huge for him whether it’s different plays that we’re running from last time that he was in, whether it’s different schemes that we were running.”
As for Sharpe, Sunday marks two weeks since he suffered a hyperextended left knee against the Trail Blazers on Jan. 7. Vaughn praised the Nets’ resilience in covering for Sharpe’s absence, but it’s also a credit to the team’s versatility.
Dorian Finney-Smith finished with nine rebounds in Sunday’s 125-114 loss to the Clippers. He’s helped anchor some of the lineups as a small-ball center and had to do so again Sunday with Nic Claxton in foul trouble.
The Nets have tried a variety of things — including playing Harry Giles III for a brief stretch Friday — and are waiting before using others such as perhaps giving rookie Noah Clowney a look.
Either way, Sharpe’s presence has been missed both on the boards and inside the paint, and the Nets hope he’s made progress when he’s evaluated this week.
“[I] miss Day’Ron, I told that to our group the other day,” Vaughn said. “Miss hearing him on the bus, miss hearing him in the locker room. So look forward to seeing the big fella when we get back home.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
