Basketball Australia prepared to wait on Ben Simmons, maybe till August if need be

Matt Logue and Michael Randall of the Melbourne Herald-Sun report Wednesday that Basketball Australia is prepared wait on Ben Simmons, noting that the Boomers don’t need to submit their final roster for the FIBA World Cup till just before the Cup begins on August 25.

Basketball Australia is prepared put its deadline aside to give Ben Simmons more time to prove his fitness for Australia’s World Cup campaign.

CODE Sports can reveal a decision on Simmons’ World Cup commitment won’t be for at least a few weeks as the NBA star recovers from back surgery.

Boomers officials originally placed an early June deadline on the Brooklyn Nets guard to decide, but are now willing to alter this hardline stance.,

Simmons has been working out in Miami with teammates Royce O’Neale and David Duke Jr. and presumably others but has not competed yet in full-contact, 5-on-5 play, the Herald-Sun reporters have previously noted. Although the Herald-Sun states that Simmons is “feeling good” and still wants to play for Brian Goorjian’s team in the Cup which runs from August 25 through September 10. Before that, the Boomers will play three “friendly” — exhibition — games in Melbourne.

There’s still plenty of time, Logue and Randall add.

[News] comes as Australian officials have booked 12 seats to Japan for the World Cup, but don’t have to identify the players’ names until a day before flying. The Boomers face Finland in their World Cup opener on August 25.

If Simmons winds up playing both the “friendlies” and Australia, as expected, gets to the Final Four on the weekend of September 9-10, it would amount to 12 games in about a month. The Nets open camp the last week of September.

• Boomers put aside deadline to give Ben Simmons more time to commit to World Cup - Matt Logue & Michael Randall - Melbourne Herald-Sun