NBA Notebook: Ben Simmons rejoins the Sixers... for now

With regular-season action beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 19, this will be our last preseason edition of NBA Notebook. And spoiler alert, it’s a bit of a doozy. Let’s dive in!

BEN SIMMONS REJOINS THE SIXERS

The Ben Simmons trade drama is over. At least for now. And it ended in a highly comical and anti-climatic fashion. The Philadelphia 76ers apparently just received a text on Thursday night that said, "Hey, Ben’s outside the building."

Simmons is undergoing various physicals and protocols, but it seems that he will be rejoining the roster in short order. What this means in the short-term is unclear, although there will no doubt be some awkwardness between he and members of the organization going forward. And his reception during the next Sixers home game is likely to be icy.

The Sixers and Simmons’ reps are trying to represent the end of the standoff to suit their respective ends. But nobody should believe Sixers brass when they say they want Simmons for the long haul, nor should Simmons' claims that he’s returning to play now that he’s proved his point be believed. The ultimate resolution will still be a Simmons trade, but with no palatable swap in sight, the Sixers and Simmons will maintain a marriage of convenience for the foreseeable future.

KYRIE IRVING WILL NOT PLAY PART-TIME FOR THE NETS

After a meeting between Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai, Nets GM Sean Marks, as well as Kevin Durant and James Harden, the Nets announced they will not allow Kyrie Irving to participate in team activities - including practices and away games - until he is in compliance with New York’s vaccination mandate.

Just from a basketball perspective, having Irving play part-time would have been a distraction and possible point of friction for a team with title aspirations. Also, since Irving will not be paid for missed games, perhaps there’s hope that the growing financial impact will eventually drive him to get the vaccine, much like the money seemed to eventually bring Simmons back to the Sixers.

The announcement was followed by reports that the Nets will no longer be offering Irving an extension, which would be worth some $187 million, leaving his future with the franchise in serious doubt.

Irving took to IG Live to explain his reasoning, and his words were then parroted verbatim by a number of local and national beat reporters, adding further fuel to the misinformation fire that characterizes this public health crisis.

Irving also said that he has no plans to retire, and his choice of words left open the possibility of getting the shot and returning to the Nets at some point. For his sake, the Nets, and those that continue to suffer from this pandemic, let’s hope he does so.

ZION TO MISS THE BEGINNING OF THE REGULAR SEASON

Zion Williamson’s rosy prognosis of being ready in time for the regular season has been proven incorrect. Williamson instead is due to be reevaluated in two weeks, meaning that he will at minimum miss the first week of the regular NBA season and possibly much longer.

David Griffin had stated that he believed Zion would be ready in time for the start of the season but is now claiming that he meant Zion will be ready to play "sometime this regular season."

It’s another needlessly disingenuous statement from a Pelicans front office that is bleeding credibility. For bettors, the Pelicans host the Sixers in the opener, and Philadelphia is somehow only favored by three points despite Zion’s now assured absence.

BOSTON CELTICS COVID OUTBREAK

Jaylen Brown and Al Horford of the Boston Celtics have both tested positive for the COVID-19 and are in health and safety protocols.

While Brown is expected to be back in time for the regular season, Horford might miss the season opener against the New York Knicks.

TALEN HORTON-TUCKER HAS LIGAMENT SURGERY

After losing Trevor Ariza to wrist surgery last week, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered another unfortunate injury. Talen Horton-Tucker, one of the few young prospects still on the veteran-laden Lakers, has a torn ligament in his thumb.

While Horton-Tucker is set to be evaluated in about four weeks, he’s projected to miss about two months.

MARCUS SMART SUSPENDED BY CELTICS

Shams Charania reported that the Celtics have suspended guard Marcus Smart for one preseason game for violating team rules. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski revealed the reason for the suspension was Smart missing the team plane out of Orlando. This is probably not a big deal, and Smart should be ready to suit up for the regular season opener.