Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined for three months due to a nerve impingement in his back, is expected to return Monday vs. the Utah Jazz, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn.
Simmons participated in scrimmages with a combination of Nets players and coaches earlier this week. He then practiced with Brooklyn's G-League affiliate in Long Island on Saturday and made it through with no setbacks.
The three-time All-Star has missed Brooklyn's last 37 games due to the injury in his surgically repaired back. Simmons appeared in six games before the setback, averaging 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
The extended absence marks the third consecutive season Simmons has battled a back ailment. After sitting out the entire 2021-22 season due to a back injury and mental health issues, the Aussie had surgery on his L-4 and L-5 discs during the 2022 offseason. He appeared in 42 games last season before being shut down due to a nerve impingement in the right side of his back.
After a seven-month rehab process, Ben Simmons said this summer that his body was “the strongest it had been” since he joined Brooklyn. Despite this, he was sidelined by an impingement in the lower left side of his back two weeks into the season. Simmons finding a way to stay on the floor for an extended period could offer a much-needed boost for Brooklyn.
The Nets have fallen to 11th in the Eastern Conference amid a 4-17 stretch over their last 21 games. A lack of ball-handling and point-of-attack defense has been central to their struggles. Brooklyn ranks 25th in offense and 19th in defense while posting the NBA's third-worst effective field goal percentage during that span.
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