After a 486-day wait, Ben Simmons was finally back doing what he loves Wednesday night. He finally took the court in an NBA game and made his long-delayed Nets debut.

But for the young star, just playing in the 2022-23 opener at Barclays Center wasn’t enough. He knew he had to attack the Pelicans and to be aggressive on both ends of the court to be back to his best.

“If I’m not aggressive, this team’s not going,” Simmons said before the game. “If I’m not pushing the ball, if I’m not finding my guys, if I’m not getting to the rim, then those easy shots that we get now are not going to happen. So I’ve got to be the motor.”

Being the engine of a team with legitimate — if somewhat muted — championship aspirations is a lot of responsibility for a player coming off a layoff like the one Simmons just went through. Wednesday marked his first time playing a game that counts since June 20, 2021, when he and the 76ers were eliminated from the 2020-21 playoffs.

Simmons’ relationship with Philadelphia fractured in the wake of his struggles in that Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Hawks — and the lack of support he got from coach Doc Rivers and Sixers star Joel Embiid. Simmons requested a trade that offseason.

Citing mental health woes, Simmons sat out to start last season. And after he was traded to the Nets (who gave up former MVP James Harden), he suffered a herniated disk that eventually required surgery in May.

But on Wednesday night, he finally made his official Nets debut alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to form a new Big 3. Durant, Irving and coach Steve Nash have all reassured Simmons that after such a long layoff, some nerves are to be expected.

But they also all told him to attack.

“That’s the message we’ve been giving him all along,” Nash said. “Just to be able to put pressure on the defense, whether it’s throwing the ball ahead, pushing in transition or trying to break the paint every chance he gets in the half-court as well. He can also do so as a roller, creating off [dribble handoffs] and pick-and-rolls. So there’s multiple ways that he can get in there and create problems.

“He’s also a willing and excellent screener. So there’s plenty of things he can bring to the table alongside his playmaking and size and athleticism offensively that can help us go. I think that the goal is and I think the vision is for him to be the engine of this team both sides of the ball.”

Simmons entered the opener with career averages of 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists. He’s one of just six players with 4,000 points, 2,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists through his first four seasons played. The others? LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Luka Doncic and Grant Hill.

“Simmons, he gets the rebound, he’s pushing in transition, he’s looking to make plays. He’s sort of a walking triple-double,” New Orleans coach Willie Green said.

“Ben is different guy out there. With his size, his ability to guard multiple positions. Offensively, he’s pushing the pace. You sag off him, he can look to dribble-handoff to the next guy, screen to get open shots. So you’ve got to be aware of him and be really smart in how you guard him because he can hurt you.”

The Pelicans were a challenging first test, especially with Zion Williamson back. Like Simmons, he missed all of last season, and he was expected to provide a tough matchup.

But handling those tough matchups is a task Simmons relishes, and one of the biggest reasons the Nets surrendered future Hall of Famer Harden to get him.

The Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in 2020-21, Simmons helped hold Giannis Antetekounmpo to 6-for-21 shooting in the Nets’ preseason win at Milwaukee on Oct. 12, then started against Karl-Anthony Towns in their victory at Minnesota two nights later. And Wednesday, he went up against Williamson.

“Yeah there’s not many guys in the league who can do that, so I take that opportunity when it comes to guard the best players in the world,” Simmons said. “So it’s a pretty good job.”