Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has yet to play a game this season. While his move from Philadelphia to Brooklyn was expected to accelerate his return to the floor, no debut seems imminent.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported this weekend that Simmons is “dealing with back soreness in reconditioning process that requires further strengthening of the area over a period of time before return to action.”
Brooklyn has no set timetable for Simmons’ return. It’s uncertain whether the three-time All-Star will clear necessary return-to-play hurdles for Nets’ March 10 return trip to Philadelphia, but team is treating as a day-to-day process. https://t.co/SnWVQeSWPS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2022
Charania further clarified this report when he appeared on the Pat McAfee Show Monday.
“The Nets are saying that it’s something to be expected and something we’re just gonna treat day-to-day,” Charania said. “But there was an expectation that, by now, he was gonna be really on the cusp of his comeback.
“That’s probably not gonna be the case because he had a flare up with his back, I’m told, during his ramp-up process.”
Charania underscored the ambiguity, complexity and severity of back issues. He referenced the fact that Draymond Green has missed nearly two months with his own back injury and is just now doing some 5-on-0 scrimmaging.
“The back is tricky,” Charania said. “So, Ben Simmons, it could take him a few weeks. It could take him a week. It could take him — you never know with the back.
“I think there is hope and optimism that at some point, before the regular season is out, that he’s gonna be back on the floor. But in the meantime, he’s gonna have to rehab that back.”
