The Brooklyn Nets have yet to have Ben Simmons in the lineup since acquiring him prior to the Feb. 10 trade deadline. There remains a lack of clarity on when he may be able to make his debut with the team.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Simmons is currently dealing with a “herniated disc in his back” and received an epidural injection last week to help relieve soreness. While he wants to return before the end of the season, it remains unclear if he can.
Simmons is dealing with a herniated disc in his back and although his return to action this season is uncertain, he wants to be back on the floor as soon as he can, sources tell The Athletic. Simmons, who had an epidural injection last week to relieve the soreness, has dealt with back issues dating back to February 2020 when he missed time due to a nerve impingement.
There was originally a target debut date for Simmons of Mar. 18 when they faced the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the ongoing back issues he’s dealt with have resulted in delays.
As Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently, Simmons’ return this season has been delayed due to the back. Then, a target return of March 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers was missed as the back issues persisted.
Time is running out for the Nets to get Simmons in the lineup and to build chemistry prior to the start of the playoffs. Kyrie Irving’s ineligibility for home games has persisted, too.
Nets coach Steve Nash has been asked repeatedly for updates regarding Simmons’ status and has not been able to offer much for new details. Given the nature of Simmons’ injury, it seems as though there simply is just a lack of available information to work with currently for a return date to be clear.
When Simmons returns to the lineup, there’s a lot of ways he can make an impact, but again, it just remains to be see when that will be the case.
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