Is Ben Simmons playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics?

After playing a career-low 15 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season, bringing his total to 57 since being traded to the team in 2022, Ben Simmons will once again skip a summer of Australian basketball. The former All-NBA forward has now played six NBA seasons and is still yet to make an appearance for the senior Australian men's basketball team.

Simmons of course has recurring back issues which is what officially closed the books on coming back on the court for the Nets in March of this year, but even when the point forward was healthy he never seemed to express interest in representing the Boomers in FIBA and Olympic play.

How will Australia play without Ben Simmons?

The Boomers will, however, have plenty of talent without Simmons. Led by new Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, veterans Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova and six other NBA players -- Dante Exum, Josh Green, Dyson Daniels. Joe Ingles, Jock Landale, and Duop Reath -- Australia will be looking to capture a medal in Paris but will first have to navigate their way through Group A, also known as the group of death.

The group of death has Australia, Spain, Canada, and Greece -- four countries with medal aspirations at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Australia's roster has talent their squad isn't the most balanced. Mills and Dellavedvoa are arguably still the squad's two best off-the-dribble halfcourt creators, that's not quite a recipe for success. The Boomers will likely need one of their other NBA contributors to step up with strong offensive performances to help supply the offense they need. 2024 NBL Finals MVP Jack McVeigh could also provide an offensive boost as well if his shot is falling.

The Boomers don't have a ton of size either. Reath and Landale are both NBA bigs but don't quite provide the backboard dominance you want from starting bigs in FIBA play. The two of them will have a lot of responsibility, and NBL youngster Will Magnay will likely get opportunities this tournament as well.

Australia is coached by Brian Goorjian, a six-time NBL Champion on his second stint coaching the national team. He led them to the bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics. Australia will play in the opening game of the Olympics against Spain on Saturday, July 27.