NBA ready: Simmons bounces back, but Warriors battle their ‘biggest crisis’

The 2022-2023 NBA season starts on Wednesday (AEDT) as the rest of the league aspires to replace the reigning champions, the Golden State Warriors.

In June, Ben Simmons’ NBA career sat at a crossroads and Golden State were beginning celebrations following their fourth championship since 2015.

Ben Simmons has made the move to the Brooklyn Nets for the coming season.Credit: Getty Images

But as the 2022-23 season begins, those two storylines have flipped with Simmons and his Brooklyn Nets looking reinvigorated, while the Warriors battle what coach Steve Kerr has called the biggest crisis in his celebrated tenure at the club.

Simmons appears to have returned from back surgery and time away to deal with mental health issues as a far happier man than the All-Star who stood out of much of last season until his former club, the Philadelphia 76ers, traded him to the Nets.

The 26-year-old looks back to his speedy, evasive best as he ended pre-season play with an ominous performance against the Milwaukee Bucks, posting seven points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in 28 minutes while also pushing superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo with his relentless defence.

Combined with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and with fellow Australian Patty Mills providing support off the bench, the Nets have re-emerged as a team to watch this season, and it has come despite Durant’s push for a trade early in the off-season.

NBA SEASON 2022-23

Australian players: Ben Simmons, Patty Mills (Brooklyn), Josh Giddey (OKC Thunder), Joe Ingles (Milwaukee), Josh Green (Dallas), Jock Landale (Phoenix), Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia), Jack White (Denver), Matthew Dellavedova, Chima Moneke (Sacramento).

First game: Boston v Philadelphia and LA Lakers v Golden State, starting at 10.30am AEDT on Wednesday.

How to watch: ESPN and Kayo have a selection of live games each week, NBA league pass for every game live.

But as the Nets have taken stock and returned with a smiling Simmons, the Warriors are assessing just how much damage star forward Draymond Green has done to their title hopes after punching rising star Jordan Poole during a training altercation.

The Warriors have remained steadfast in not suspending Green, only fining him despite there being little evidence he was provoked beyond whatever disagreement he had with Poole.

A video of the punch was leaked to gossip site TMZ, and it shows Green, already one of the most outspoken players in the NBA, in an even worse light with the only saving grace being that his haymaker didn’t do any serious damage to a young scorer who is vital to their title hopes and is tipped to earn a lucrative contract when he enters restricted free agency this off-season.

“This is the biggest crisis we have had since I’ve been coach here,” Kerr admitted on Wednesday.

“It’s really serious stuff. We are not perfect, our team isn’t perfect and [general manager] Bob [Myers] and I have made our share of mistakes over the years, but we are going to lean on the experience we have over the last nine years and trust this is the best decision for our team. We have a lot of work to do.”

If the Warriors can move on, they shape as presumptive title favourites with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Poole and Green returning.

But the chasing pack looks deeper than last season with Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn and Miami all holding hopes of a run to the finals from the eastern conference and Dallas, Denver, Memphis, Phoenix, Minnesota and the LA Clippers staking their claims in the west.

LeBron James’ LA Lakers haven’t done enough to make that list, but expect the King to find some way to force them into the discussion, especially if Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook hit their straps.

Coach dramas in Boston

Ime Udoka coached the Boston Celtics to the NBA finals last season but won’t be with the team for this campaign after the club suspended him for having an “inappropriate relationship” with a female staff member.

Udoka’s future in Boston once his suspension ends is also in question given the severity of the punishment. Highly regarded assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will assume head coach duties this season.

The Australians

Australia will start the season with nine NBA players, with defensive ace Dyson Daniels and Melbourne United’s Jack White beginning their careers.

Daniels has impressed everyone at the New Orleans Pelicans with how quickly he has picked up his role, as shown by a 15-point effort against Chicago during pre-season. But one concern is a couple of minor ankle tweaks during the off-season for the Bendigo-raised guard.

Daniels will aim to make his debut in the club’s season opener, and he could push for all-rookie honours if he can stay on court and his Pelicans continue to build on last season.

White is on a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets that could limit how much he plays in the NBA, but he has already had a taste of the spotlight after finding himself underneath a soaring dunk from Moussa Diabate on Thursday.

Jock Landale is another Australian poised to rise as he is Phoenix’s back-up centre, getting important minutes during the pre-season and meshing well with their talented guards.

Phoenix Suns’ Jock Landale.Credit: Getty Images

Matthew Dellavedova is back, this time under former coach Mike Brown, as he tries to rebuild the Sacramento Kings, while Joe Ingles aims to be back on court for Milwaukee later in the season, Josh Green will push for more minutes in Dallas and Matisse Thybulle remains with Philadelphia.

What about Giddey?

Josh Giddey’s second season with the Oklahoma City Thunder got off to a rough start when the Thunder’s No.2 draft pick Chet Holmgren went down with a broken foot. He will miss the season.

The skilful centre and Giddey had already started forming an exceptional partnership but they will have to wait until next season.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Josh Giddey.Credit: AP

That injury has raised questions about whether the Thunder will win many games this season given another losing campaign could put them in position to draft 220-centrimetre French star Victor Wembanyama, who wowed US crowds recently and looks a certain top pick in the 2023 draft.

Giddey has showcased his elite passing skills and improved shooting during pre-season, and he will aim to stay fit and firing this season. The Thunder should still be a fun, dynamic team to watch.

NBL guns waiting

NBA title-winner Aron Baynes has returned to the court with the Brisbane Bullets and could be someone who pushes for a late-season cameo should his NBL comeback go to plan. While Baynes is getting his touch back in Brisbane, Sydney’s NBL grand final MVP Xavier Cooks continues to make his case for an NBA call-up. Adelaide’s historic NBA pre-season win over Phoenix Suns also made the case for several of their stars, but point guard Mitch McCarron is long overdue for a proper NBA shot, as his 16 assists showed.

Old names, new jerseys

It wouldn’t be the NBA without a spate of player movements.

Here are some of the major arrivals: Rudy Gobert (Minnesota), Dejounte Murray (Atlanta Hawks), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland), Christian Wood (Dallas), Malcolm Brogdon (Boston), Joe Ingles (Milwaukee) and Jerami Grant (Portland).

Gobert’s arrival in Minnesota to form a twin-towers combination with Karl Anthony Towns has the team talking about a title run, but the Timberwolves have plenty of improving to do first. Similarly, Mitchell’s move to Cleveland has the Cavs dreaming big, although their young players may still have some maturing to do.

Wood, Ingles and Brogdon all could make a big difference to teams that are in “win-now” mode. Ingles isn’t slated to return from his knee reconstruction until the second half of the season, but his playmaking and drive could be just what the Bucks need entering the play-offs.

For those who love retro jerseys, Utah plan to bring back their purple “mountain” jersey from the late 1990s, while Washington is bringing back their white-and-teal jersey from Michael Jordan’s comeback in the early 2000s.

Price cut for NBA league pass

The NBA has listened to fans who complained about the cost of NBA league pass, dropping the price by over 40 per cent to $154.99 for this season and $209.99 if you want to use it concurrently on two devices. The league has also revamped its app, which has had a few glitches early, including closed captions that won’t turn off, but the personalisation features, in-depth statistics and much-greater use of the NBA’s video vault along with more vertical videos have the NBA confident it will win fans over.

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