Ben Simmons discusses his mental health and what's to come with Nets: 'I've had some dark times'

Ben Simmons called being with the Nets a "very positive experience" while speaking with reporters Tuesday — the first time since the blockbuster trade that landed him in Brooklyn and James Harden with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Simmons, who has been on the practice court with the Nets in recent days, doesn't have a date for when he'll make his debut for Brooklyn, but talked about what he'll need to do when he suits up.

"I think it's just staying aggressive, playing to my strengths -- and that's being a playmaker, making the right plays, hitting my guys up," Simmons said. "And then defensively, obviously locking down who I need to lock down. So I'm excited to get on the floor with these guys. It's an incredible team, incredible talent. So I'm super excited."

As far as playing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Simmons said it's going to be "scary" for their opponents.

"I think it's gonna be scary having those guys run alongside me," he said. "There's multiple different weapons on the floor, and I think at the pace we want to play at it's gonna be unreal."

Simmons did not play for the 76ers at all this season in order to focus on his mental health, and he explained on Tuesday that it reached a point in Philadelphia where he believed he needed out for his own well-being -- which was why he requested a trade.

"For me, it was just making sure mentally I was right to get out there and play again. So that's something I've been dealing with," Simmons said. "And it wasn't about the fans or coaches or comments made by anybody. It was just a personal thing for me ... And that organization knew that, so it's something that I continue to deal with. I'm getting there and getting to the right place to get back on the floor."

As far as what the breaking point was for him with the Sixers, Simmons said that it was a number of things that led to it.

"It was just piled up, a bunch of things that were going on over the years where I knew I just wasn't myself," Simmons explained. "And I needed to get back in that place of being myself, and being happy as a person, and taking care of my well-being. That was the major thing for me. It wasn't about the basketball, it wasn't about the money or anything like that. I want to be who I am and get back to playing basketball at that level and being myself."

Now that he's with the Nets, Simmons said it has already helped his mental health.

"I think just the way everybody has welcomed me here has been great," he said. "It's been a very positive experience just being here so far, and I'm looking forward to what's to come."

When it comes to those who have questioned whether Simmons' mental health issues with the Sixers were legitimate, he said those people should be happy for him.

"They should be happy I'm smiling, honestly," Simmons said. "I've had some dark times over these last six months, and I'm just happy to be in this situation with this team and organization. People are gonna say what they want. They've said it the last six months, and it is what it is. People are always gonna have their own opinions."

Simmons also weighed in on their potentially being a change regarding how the mental health of athletes is addressed:

"I don't think people really understand. I don't even look at it as pressure, there's just so many things going on within basketball and life as people," he said. "But it is what it is also. I understand the business side, I understand all that. But that's something that -- people should be acknowledged and addressed if they do feel like they need some help in (those) areas. And it's OK to do that."