Ben Simmons Traveled with the Sixers for the First Time, But When Will He Play?

For the first time in the regular season, Ben Simmons traveled with the Sixers to a road game. The team is in Boston tonight to face off against the Celtics. That’s a step. The next? Practice. Then? Games.

So when will Simmons actually play? He’s just started taking jumpshots, meaning he can put landing pressure on his foot. According to a meticulous breakdown of Simmons’ injury as compared to a regular dude, the “light hopping” phase is roughly week 13 of the recovery. The post lays that phase out as Simmons’ December 30th to January 5th which is right on the money. That doesn’t put his full-heal time until next month. With that as the case, the minutes restriction he’ll likely be on, the Sixers’ cautious approach to his injury, and the upcoming All-Star Break, I don’t see Simmons returning pre-ASG. You’d like him to have his first game at home, and that would put Simmons’ most-likely debut date at February 24th against the Wizards.