The Nets announce Ben Simmons is out for the rest of the regular season

Ben continues to struggle with his lower back nerve impingement.

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets have announced Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the 2023/24 regular season to recover from his lower back nerve impingement. It was the same injury that sidelined him for several months earlier in the season.

The news is heartbreaking for Ben and the organization, as the team has supported him through injury troubles. Expectations were high for the former LSU Tiger coming into the season, as he received praise from former coach Jacque Vaughn. Unfortunately, injuries continue to haunt Ben’s stint for Brooklyn.

Since being traded to Brooklyn, Ben Simmons has played in 57 out of 178 possible games. pic.twitter.com/YNUgr4k00i

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) March 4, 2024

“Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back,” The Nets wrote in an official statement. “Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health.”

Brooklyn is a better team with Ben

The Nets looked like a well-oiled machine in the first few weeks of the season when Ben was the starting point guard for six games. He wasn’t scoring as much as he could, but he was back playing elite defense and was an elite playmaker on offense.

Unfortunately, his issues with his lower back flared up, which took him months to recover from. Simmons played nine more games, but those were the Aussie guard’s final appearances this season.

Ben finishes the season with 15 games played, averaging 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. Outside of scoring, Ben was effective as the Nets’ point guard, running a fast-paced transition-based offense. Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen over 82 games.

What’s next for Ben?

Simmons’ agent, Bernie Lee, detailed he looked for “non-surgery” options to help his client recover from this lower-back nerve impingement. With this decision between Ben’s team and the Nets organization, surgery is likely to happen.

That may fix Ben’s troubles with this ailment. He will have a long time before a full recovery, but it would be best for Simmons’ long-term health, not just his NBA career. Nets fans will hope for the former first-overall pick to recover since there is still a talented player under all these issues. 

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