The Brooklyn Nets are still hopeful of having Ben Simmons on the court at some point in 2022 – but it’s now extremely unlikely that will be before the playoffs, if at all.
Insider Shams Charania wrote in his column for The Athletic that a herniated disc could keep the controversial Australian star off the court for the foreseeable future.
Simmons had an epidural injection last week to help with the pain, having dealt with back issues for more than two years.
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“That’s really a question for the medical staff,” Nets coach Steve Nash said when asked what Simmons would have to do to get on the court.
“All the ins and outs of his back injury, I couldn’t speak on it.”
Nash said he “couldn’t remember” if Simmons’ back issues were noticeable when the team acquired him in a blockbuster trade last month.
The Nets traded James Harden and Paul Millsap to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round draft picks.
Despite a mediocre season on the court for a variety of reasons, the Nets have remained one of the most talked about teams – both due to the fortunes of Harden and Simmons, as well as the repeated absences of superstar Kyrie Irving due to New York’s vaccine protocols.
All Star Kevin Durant said that Irving was frustrated by the inability to play in home games.
“I mean, what is it, April almost?” Durant told reporters today.
“It’s pretty obvious that he’s not going to take the shot. So like I said, just focus on who you are and what you bring to the team every day and once that situation gets figured out, then it will.
“It’s out of my control, it’s out of everybody else’s control. So you can’t force anybody to do anything. So just try to just focus on me.”
Durant said that Irving had made his decision and that his teammates had to respect it and move on – and the team has been heading in the right direction recently, winning five of their last six.
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