Ben Simmons might make a return at some point this season. the Brooklyn Nets are certainly still hopeful. But they're going to have to keep their season alive long enough to see that day. Because he won't be available to them for the Play-In which begins on April 12.

Simmons experienced a flare-up of an old, chronic back issue in February after the trade went down. We looked at the full extent of this injury history recently, what the 76ers referred to as nerve impingement back in 2020.

The issue appeared to be fully behind him during the 2020-2021 season, but it resurfaced when he tried to get ready for his Nets debut somewhere in Feb. of 2022. Now the latest from Monday's practice, per Laura Albanese of Newsday:

This came just a day after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski painted a similar picture.

Per Woj on ESPN:

“Certainly not the regular season, they've got four games left in Brooklyn, he is only doing light shooting on the floor, trying to work himself back from that back injury. And then the Nets are looking at a Play-In and the idea that Ben Simmons could be ready in nine days when the Play-In starts is not realistic. I think Brooklyn is gonna have to get out of that Play-In, get into the playoffs, before there can be any real conversation about Ben Simmons ramping up to return and actually play for the first time in almost 11 months.”

So with that context, Albanese's update from Nets practice comes as no shock. On last week's Nothing But Nets Podcast, Co-Host Greg Dennis admitted “I'm not wondering anymore, I'm assuming we're not gonna see him this year.”

Dennis even ball-parked the odds we'll see Simmons during our pod after the 28-minute mark.

So some fans are in I'll need to see it until I believe it mode when it comes to Ben's return. As of now, the Nets have clinched a Play-In berth. They're the lowest possible seed after a tough loss to the Atlanta Hawks Saturday and if that stayed (or if they merely moved up to 9th) they'd find themselves in a single game elimination spot. Lose and you're gone fishing. Win and you then play another game for the right to become the 8th seed.

As of today, the top seed is the Miami Heat. The Nets recently throttled Jimmy Butler and co. without the services of Simmons down in South Beach. Andre Drummond flashed the peace sign to Tyler Herro in a rout. They would have some confidence going into that potential first-round matchup. But their championship ceiling to get through an Eastern Conference gauntlet would feel a lot higher with Simmons healthy and in the fold. It remains to be seen what hope there remains for that. Getting through the Play-In, then a team like Miami, only to then have to perhaps visit Milwaukee just to make the final four? Sheesh. That would be the toughest path to the finals among any contender in the conference. Small wonder Kyrie Irving is grabbing his metaphorical bulletproof vest and rocket launchers.