Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn announced that Ben Simmons is officially out for the remainder of the NBA season due to his back injury, CBS Sports reports.
The three-time All-Star hasn’t appeared on the court since the Nets game against the Miami Heat on Feb. 15. He has been suffering from back issues throughout the season, and was also suffering from knee soreness. Vaughn confirmed that he will “not be joining us [the Nets] the rest of the year,” following a recent re-evaluation of his condition. Simmons is reportedly dealing with nerve impingement, which will require both a rehabilitation program and long-term rest.
After he was traded to the Nets from the Philadelphia 76ers last year, then-head coach Steve Nash ruled Simmons out for the rest of that season when he was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back. He was able to recover in time for the latest season, but has since faced issues in what was set to be his first full season with the team.
Simmons currently has two years remaining on his contract with the Nets, and is expected to be paid $37.8 million next season and $40.3 million in 2024-25. Earlier this month, Vaughn appeared confident that Simmons would return to the court at some point this season. “There’s zero discussions about him not playing,” Vaughn said at the time. “We expect him to be back.”
The news comes after Ben Simmons and Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports decided to go their separate ways.
