"I had it done to me and I thought it was a privilege" - Steve Nash encourages Ben Simmons to keep a positive mindset despite facing potentially hostile crowd in Philly

Although Ben Simmons will sit out for Thursday night's action against the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash offered an interesting perspective on how his newly acquired guard should approach the situation.

Considering the bad-blood that was shared between Simmons and the Sixers organization, having Simmons back in Philadelphia was bound to be greeted with a lot of animosity.

Addressing the hostile environment and the positive approach Simmons should take when facing the crowd in Philadelphia, Steve Nash said:

"How many people go into an arena and get booed by the entire place? I had it done to me and I thought it was a privilege."

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Although Ben Simmons' trade to Brooklyn happened prior to the trade deadline, the Nets' newly acquired superstar is yet to make his debut for the side - or even this season, for that matter.

While Simmons being on the bench has been a bit of a hot topic - considering that Thursday night will also be the final time the Sixers play the Nets this season - the game features another strained relationship which serves up a piping hot narrative of its own.

In a reunion between James Harden and his former Brooklyn Nets teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Thursday night's marquee matchup at Wells Fargo Center promises to be packed with excitement.

How much can the Brooklyn Nets benefit with Ben Simmons in the lineup?

Ben Simmons in conversation with Brooklyn Nets teammate Kevin Durant

While the acquisition of Ben Simmons was well received in the overall sense, the Nets will need to see their newest superstar join the frontline action sooner rather than later.

The Brooklyn Nets are currently the eighth-seed in the East with a 33-33 record. While this would've been decent for any other team, Brooklyn were expected to dominate this season considering the talent available at their disposal.

Hounded by injuries and the limited availability of superstars such as Kyrie Irving, the Nets have practically careened out of control this season.

Although Kevin Durant has made his return from injury, Brooklyn has struggled to look like a competitive side - much less a title-contender. In this regard, they will need Ben Simmons to suit up soon. The Nets acquired some solid pieces in the trade, but Simmons was undoubtedly the key acquisition.

Given his athleticism, his playmaking ability and his defensive chops, Simmons ticks a lot of boxes when considering the role he'd be expected to play in the Nets. Placed on an offensive powerhouse such as the Nets, the 25-year old has the ideal opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong.

Tentatively, there has been no update on when Simmons will make his debut in a Nets uniform. With the regular-season coming to an end and the Nets fighting for a Play-In spot, Brooklyn will need all hands on deck if they have any hopes of living up to the expectations set out for them this season.

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