Ben Simmons is back on the injury report for the Brooklyn Nets. The three-time All-Star exited Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a leg injury and did not return.
Following the game, head coach Kevin Ollie said Simmons had a left knee injury and would undergo imaging. However, the team clarified that it was a leg injury, and there are no plans for him to undergo imaging at this time.
Simmons battled multiple left leg issues early last season. He missed two extended periods due to a left knee ailment, having blood drained and receiving PRP injections both times. He missed another extended stretch due to a left calf strain.
His latest exit is one of a seemingly never-ending string of injuries since Brooklyn acquired the former number-one pick for James Harden at the 2022 trade deadline. After sitting out the entire 2021-22 season due to a back injury and mental health issues, Ben Simmons has appeared in 55 of 138 games the last two years.
He missed the second half of the 2022-23 campaign due to a nerve impingement in his surgically repaired back. The Aussie appeared in six games to start this season before suffering the same injury in a different area of his back, which sidelined him for three months.
While he has shown glimpses of his potential when on the floor, Simmons has continued to look like a shell of his old self, averaging 6.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game this year. After posting two points and four assists on 1-of-2 shooting Thursday against the Toronto Raptors, he tallied four points and one assist on 2-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes before exiting vs. Minnesota.
Simmons' offensive passivity continues to be glaring, a trend that has become more pronounced each season of his NBA career. The 28-year-old is attempting 5.6 shots and 1.1 free throws per game this season. He's posted a 12.9 usage rate (percentage of a team's possessions a player uses while on the floor), the fifth-lowest among 75 point guards to play over 200 minutes, per Basketball Reference.
The Nets have lost seven of their last eight games, and their minus-93 point differential over their last three defeats is the worst mark in franchise history. Brooklyn is expected to provide an update on Simmons' injury before closing out a four-game road trip with a back-to-back against the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic.
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