Nets’ Jacque Vaughn: Ben Simmons ‘probably’ won’t return this season
Heading into Saturday’s crucial game against the Miami Heat, the Brooklyn Nets knows what’s at stake depending on the result of the game. However, before getting to that part, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn addressed the media and gave an update on guard Ben Simmons that most probably predicted with this season close to being over: Simmons probably won’t play again this.
While this update is still startling given how important Simmons’ is to Brooklyn’s future plans, some have assumed that Simmons would not play again this season because of the timing of it all. Simmons has missed the past 15 games because of soreness in his left knee and back and on Friday, the Nets stated that Simmons has a nerve impingement in his back that is causing the pain.
Simmons has missed 31 of a possible 73 games this season because of a variety of injuries related to his balky back and troublesome knee. When the former LSU Tiger has played, his numbers are down across the board compared to his career averages. As Brooklyn fights to stay out of the play-in tournament, they will have to do so without Simmons.
Jacque Vaughn's update on Ben Simmons:
“Ben was going through the process of strengthening, being on the court, being reevaluated. During one of those reevaluations, the impingement presented itself… He’s probably not going to join us for the rest of the year, in all honesty” pic.twitter.com/7K55gb1XUH
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) March 25, 2023
