Ben Simmons was one of the most talked about players in the NBA this past season despite never stepping foot on the court for either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Brooklyn Nets.
The former All-Star sat out initially over a trade request but also complained of back pain that ultimately kept him out for the entire second half of the season after being dealt to Brooklyn, despite initially planning on making his season debut in Game 4 of their first round sweep at the hands of the Celtics. The constant updates on Simmons’ status, which never actionably changed throughout the year, were a point of frustration for many, as seemingly every step of the way there were leaks and conflicting reports about his health, status, and plans for the season.
With the Nets season over, Simmons will address his back injury once and for all with surgery, as the team announced on Wednesday night just before tip between the Sixers and Heat.
Ben Simmons medical update pic.twitter.com/EZDBbDJwGE
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 4, 2022
While there won’t be an official timetable offered until later, Woj reports the expectation is a 3-4 month rehab that should put him back at full strength by training camp.
Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons is expected to need 3-to-4 months to make a full recovery on back surgery, sources tell ESPN. The expectation is that he’ll be ready to return well ahead of training camp.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 4, 2022
Hopefully surgery can clear up Simmons’ back issues and get him back on the court, where he figures to be a very helpful complement to the Nets’ two stars — and one they desperately need given there aren’t a lot of avenues to improve the roster without him. Beyond that, hopefully the surgery can alleviate any of the final mental hurdles he faces in getting back to playing on an NBA court, as lingering doubts about his health could only compound the mental struggles he dealt with this year.