“They’re going to eat him for breakfast” - Stephen A. Smith says Philadelphia 76ers fans will give Ben Simmons a hard time if he returns to play against them in a playoff game

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith reckons that Ben Simmons will be given a hard time by the Philadelphia 76ers fans if he returns to play against them in a potential playoff game. Simmons joined the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline, with James Harden going the other way. He trained with the Sixers at the start of the season, but never made himself available to be included in the lineup.

The Australian guard was left disgruntled after being targeted for Philadelphia's second-round exit in the 2021 NBA playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. Coach Doc Rivers and talisman Joel Embiid also made some remarks at the time, which led to Ben Simmons' fallout with the Sixers organization.

The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers could face off in the playoffs, which would be an intriguing matchup following the blockbuster trade the two teams were involved in, featuring Simmons and Harden. Speaking about that potential series on ESPN's NBA Countdown show, Stephen A. Smith said that Philadelphia fans will try to get in the head of Simmons.

"It would be very very bad for him (Simmons)," said Smith. If it's a mental issue as it pertains to the Philadelphia 76ers fan base, as a guy that was a reporter and columnist in Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Enquirer for seventeen years, I can assure you as much as my skin is black, I can guarantee you, that moment when that brother shows up in Philadelphia, they will be waiting for him. Because they know, in their minds, they can get to him. And now that he's a part of the opposition, they are going to eat him for breakfast."

Ben Simmons could've had the chance to play against his former team at the Wells Fargo Center later this week, but he is currently sidelined due to a back problem and is unlikely to play that game.

Brooklyn Nets eager to get Ben Simmons on the court

Ben Simmons is yet to play a game this season. He hasn't even suited up for his new team, the Brooklyn Nets. Reports say he is currently dealing with a back problem and is unlikely to feature for the Nets this week against Philadelphia. The Nets want their latest All-Star acquisition to take to the court soon, though, as they want to integrate him into their setup before the postseason starts.

Simmons will be crucial to their hopes of landing the title as he can bolster the team defensively and also use his playmaking abilities to give their offense a dynamic look and take the pressure off Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. It will be interesting to see how he fits in and when he makes his debut as it will take a significant time for Steve Nash to identify using his skillset to a great effect alongside Durant and Irving.