by Brooklyn’s training camp begins Tuesday and doesn’t end until Opening Night on Oct. 23.
And every day, from beginning to end, Ben Simmons’ health will not be A big story.
It will be so the the biggest story.
Yeah, that says something about how bad or boring the Nets could ultimately be.
But it also speaks to how bad the injuries have been for Simmons in recent years.
And while he has been cleared for the official start of camp — and was one of their best players in their pickup games last month, sources told The Post — the question of whether he can remain on the floor will hang over the team linger.
“Because he is so competitive, you wish him the best and hope he can get on the field. From what we’ve seen with Ben so far, Ben will be fully involved, which is exciting for us to see,” said Nets general manager Sean Marks. “And for him, he’s in favor of being able to come out and contribute. So this is a big year for him, as it is for the rest of us.”
It will be a rebuilding year for the Nets, who have been together for weeks, playing games to get an edge for new coach Jordi Fernandez.
But it’s going to be a great year for Simmons.
He has missed 189 of 246 games over the past three seasons and all eight playoff games in Brooklyn due to a bad back.
After his nerve impact returned, Simmons underwent a season-ending microscopic partial discectomy in March, his second such procedure in three years.
With Simmons on an expiring $40.3 million deal and the Nets likely tanking for the next two seasons, it behooves him to get on the court and stay healthy.
He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer and he needs to earn his next deal, even if it’s a huge pay cut.
That starts in camp and preseason.
“He’ll be ready to start camp,” Fernandez said. ‘But we will treat him the same as everyone else. We will go through the exercises, evaluate how everyone feels and then we will make decisions. … So I’m excited to see Ben on the field from Day 1.”
Simmons averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 in 23.9 minutes last season.
And he has had a huge impact on the Nets, as has his absence.
Brooklyn is a solid 31-26 when he has played the past two seasons and a sorry 46-61 when he hasn’t. Or, for perspective, a 45-win pace dropping to a 35-win pace.
“If you think about it, a healthy Ben Simmons… the most important thing for him and what we care about the most is his health,” Fernandez said. “Ben is a very good player. And because Ben is healthy, he can rebound, push and do all those things that can help us make really good shots. We want to play fast. He is one of the best playmakers who can do that, from rebounding to pushing and throwing the ball forward.
“His paint accents are incredible. It’s big, built like a truck and can get painted and sprayed [out to shooters]go to the edge.
“As far as shot quality goes, if you can play fast – touch the paint, move the ball, turn the ball over, body movement, ball movement, all that stuff – Ben really fits into that.”
Fernandez spent time with Simmons in Miami as the 28-year-old rehabbed, as did James Moore, the Nets’ return-to-performance coordinator.
He looked good in pickup games, as did Noah Clowney and to some extent Zaire Williams.
When camp officially starts on Tuesday, Fernandez will face the challenge of figuring out how to space the floor with Simmons and non-shooting center Nic Claxton together.
But for the Nets, Fernandez says that’s secondary to keeping Simmons healthy.
That will be the story of this preseason, even before it is the goal of the regular season.
