Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons' return to the floor remains up in the air amid a two-month absence. The three-time All-Star, who has missed the team's last 28 games due to a nerve impingement in his back, began on-court workouts with coaches but does not have a timeline for his return, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn.

“He actually had a workout today and still progressing,” Vaughn said Friday. “[He has] the ability to get on court with multiple bodies around him. So that's kind of where he's at, and just building from here. So some good signs moving forward.

“We don't [have a timeline]. We’re just got to continue to see how his strength measurements continue to build and just increase the stimuli for him, whether that's multiple bodies around him, whether that's coaches and players moving forward. So nothing that has set him back from progressing.”

Simmons was expected to begin playing two-on-two this week when the team returned from a four-game road trip, according to the New York Post's Brian Lewis. However, when asked if the Aussie has taken that step, Vaughn would not expand on the nature of the workouts.

“We could say it's with coaches. I'll put it at that parameter,” he replied.

The Nets announced on December 20 that Simmons had “displayed consistent strength improvement in his affected area.” Despite this, Simmons said on December 22 that he had not been given any timetable for his return.

After undergoing surgery on his L-4 and L-5 discs during the 2022 offseason, Ben Simmons played 42 games last season while battling knee, calf and back ailments. He was sidelined at the All-Star break and later shut down due to a nerve impingement in the right side of his back. The current impingement is in the lower left side of his back.

The 27-year-old averaged 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game over six appearances to open 2023-24 before being sidelined.