Nets' Simmons out for season with back issues

The Brooklyn Nets announced Thursday morning that Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the regular season because of his ongoing back issues.

“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 team said in a 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.”

Simmons was able to play only 15 games this season because of the injury, one that caused him to miss a stretch of 38 consecutive games and has recently kept him out for the past five games.

Simmons averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists, showing an ability to be a threat on the boards, and to set up 3-point shooters on the perimeter. But he virtually refused to shoot outside of the immediate vicinity of the basket and went just 6-for-15 from the foul line across those 15 games this season.

Simmons, 27, has a $40.3 million expiring contract for the 2024-25 season.

The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Simmons was a three-time All-Star, two-time All-Defensive Team and a third-team All-NBA selection in 2021 across his five seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. But after he and the 76ers lost Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals at home to the Atlanta Hawks, never taking the lead again after Simmons passed up an open layup in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, he eventually asked for a trade that summer.

He sat out the rest of the following season until Philadelphia was able to send him to Brooklyn for James Harden. Simmons then wound up not playing for Brooklyn that season due to back issues, then played 42 games last season before his season ended early because of further back issues.

Since being acquired by the Nets in the Harden deal, Simmons will now have played in 57 of a possible 190 games with the franchise.