LAS VEGAS — After Ben Simmons was limited to 42 mostly ineffective games for the Nets last season, teammate Cam Johnson expects things to get back to normal for the former first-overall pick once the 2023-24 season begins. 

Following Team USA’s practice on Friday, Johnson said he has spoken to Simmons, who is rehabbing his back injury at the University of Miami, and is hearing all the right things. 

“He sounds good,” Johnson said. “He’s in a good place. He says it’s progressing and he’s excited for the season. Looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table this year. I expect him to be, if not full form, pretty close to it.” 

So far, Simmons’ tenure with the Nets has been a spectacular flop.

The Nets acquired him in the James Harden deal in February 2022, but Simmons — who was holding out from the 76ers at the time — did not play the rest of that season due to a back injury. 

He finally got on the court this past season, but did not get close to the All-Star level at which he’d played for the Sixers prior to 2021-22.

He averaged just 6.9 points and 6.1 assists in 2022-23, played fewer minutes and attempted nearly 4.5 fewer shots per game.

He also displayed a clear lack of confidence in his shooting ability. 

Coming into this season, Simmons is the only players on the Nets’ roster who has made an All-Star team.

The Nets’ fortunes will hinge on what version of Simmons shows up at training camp. 

“He’s very important to us,” Johnson said. “There’s things that he does on the court that not many players in the NBA can do. And he adds something that is very valuable to myself, Spencer [Dinwiddie], Mikal [Bridges] and being able to set us up and get us shots and play in flow like that.

“With him on the court, it’ll make us a better team.” 

Since the Nets traded away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this past February, revamping their core completely, Simmons has played just three games. 

Getting acclimated to a team that is now built around Bridges, Johnson and Dinwiddie — with smaller egos in the locker room and lower expectations than followed Durant and Irving — will be an adjustment for all involved. 

“We’ll have to learn how to play in a manner that suits him on the court,” Johnson said. “He allows for me, Mikal, Spence to run around and find opportunities. Always head up, always looking.

“We’ll have to fully develop how that scheme will look. 

“Defensively, we’ll have a unique advantage of having Ben and [Nic Claxton], who can guard everybody on the court. Definitely a lot of positives there.” 

On paper, yes. But that has always been the case with Simmons.