Nets’ Ben Simmons Dealing with Nerve Issue in His Back, Will Remain Out of Action

Ben Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018
Ben Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018. Photo by Martin Cole/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock (9315093ad)

The Brooklyn Nets issued an update on their injured guard Ben Simmons on Friday, and it was all but optimistic. According to the team, Simmons has “nerve impingement in his back” and will remain out of action indefinitely.

While the Nets haven’t officially shut down Simmons for the season, multiple reports indicate that the franchise doesn’t expect him to return before the season ends. 

It is unclear how motivated the Nets are to get Simmons on the floor or whether he can help them. The 26-year-old has struggled in the 2022-23 season, averaging 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, all career lows. He also saw his playing time dip, averaging 26.3 minutes per contest.

Simmons was considered a key asset that Brooklyn received in a trade that saw James Harden make his way to the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, the Nets thought they were getting a premier defensive presence and playmaking abilities that would fit well with their stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

Now, Simmons is seen more like a burden for the Nets, especially considering that he has two years remaining on the five-year, $177.2 million deal he inked in 2019 with the 76ers. Considering that Irving and Durant are both gone, don’t be surprised if Brooklyn tries to get Simmons out of the building too in the summer and have a clean slate.

Gunner's favorite movies are Pulp Fiction, Iron Man (just the first one), and every James Bond film ever made. He's learning TV and cinema and hoping to always enjoy movies as he does now.