Sixers Rival Announce Major Update on Ben Simmons’ Injury
On Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets announced the next steps for the recovery of former Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons.
According to a team press release, Simmons underwent a microscopic partial discectomy to alleviate the nerve impingement in his lower back.
As previously reported, Simmons will not make his way back out onto the court for the remainder of the 2023-2024 NBA season.
Philadelphia’s former first-overall pick has dealt with back-related setbacks since his days as the Sixers’ starting point guard. During the 2019-2020 season, Simmons suffered a nerve impingement in his back, which sidelined him for several weeks before the NBA shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simmons recovered from his back injury in 2020, and spent 58 games on the court for the Sixers the following year. After the 2021 playoff run, Simmons demanded a trade ahead of the 2021-2022 NBA season. Although he remained on the Sixers’ roster up until the 2022 trade deadline, Simmons missed every game leading up to that point.
When Simmons was traded to the Nets, he planned to make his debut but suffered an injury, which sidelined him for the entire season.
Last year, Simmons appeared in 42 games for the Nets. After suffering an injury down the stretch, he missed Brooklyn’s entire 2023 playoff run.
Unfortunately for Simmons, his injury concerns continued this season. After appearing on the court for just 15 games this year, Simmons’ run will be cut short once again.
According to the Nets, Simmons is expected to make a full recovery from his back procedure and should be ready for the Nets’ 2024 training camp.