Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons received an epidural injection and will be sidelined for at least another two weeks, the team announced Saturday.  The three-time All-Star has missed Brooklyn's last 11 games due to a nerve impingement in his back.

Despite the extended timeline, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said Simmons has not suffered any setbacks and that the epidural was part of his normal return to play plan.

“The epidural happened within the course of this week. It was just a part of his getting back to playing,” Vaughn said. “That is a part of his treatment, a part of his strengthening. [He's had] no setbacks.”

In a November 22 update, Brooklyn said the former No. 1 pick had “begun light individual court work.” Vaughn said Saturday that Simmons has been doing “low-level stuff” and has not yet progressed to sprinting.

“Right now, he is still doing low-level stuff on the court, so no rebounding drills, no sprinting up the floor,” the coach said. “In two weeks, he’ll continue to strengthen it, and we’ll have something hopefully for you then.”

After undergoing surgery on his L-4 and L-5 discs during the 2022 offseason, Ben Simmons was forced out at last year's All-Star break and later shut down due to a nerve impingement in the right side of his back. The current nerve impingement is on the lower left side of his back. Simmons' agent, Bernie Lee, called the injury “nothing similar” to what his client experienced last season.

“The expectation is that with the proper kind of rehab, he’ll be able to resume his season in a short period of time without any issue,” Lee said.

The updated timetable will push Simmons' absence to at least six weeks and 18 games. Before his injury, the 27-year-old averaged 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists over six appearances this season.