2 min read • May 05, 2022
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The Nets announced on Wednesday that Ben Simmons will have surgery on his back to help alleviate pain stemming from his herniated disc.
Ben Simmons Injury Update
A tumultuous season for Simmons will end on the surgical table after he was unable to take the court due to a herniated disc in his lower back.
The 25-year-old will need three-to-four months to recover from the procedure, a timeline that our team of ProBasketballDocs confirmed.
Simmons reportedly received an epidural on March 16 to reduce his back pain that was later revealed to be caused by a herniated disc.
At the time of his epidural, the ProBasketballDocs expressed concern that the former No. 1 overall pick would be unable to take the court this season and that he would eventually need surgery to fully address the lingering issue.
Simmons spent the last six weeks of the season ramping up for a return in the playoffs and, despite optimism from Simmons' camp that he would make his Nets debut during the first round, he was never able to move beyond limited participation in practice.
Recent reporting from Sham Charania stated that his back issues were partly due to anxiety that was acting as a stressor, expressing doubts about Simmons' competitive fire and dedication from both within and outside of Brooklyn.
Anxiety alone, however, would obviously not necessitate a surgery.
Simmons has missed time with various back issues since October 2018, and has now had two lengthy absences due to back injuries since February 2020.
He previously missed eight games in the Covid-shortened 2019-20 season after suffering a nerve impingement on Feb. 22, 2020, that Brett Brown said caused immense pain and discomfort and was “as disturbing a memory as it relates to a player that I can think of.”
If he can make a full recovery, Simmons will hopefully regain his former All-NBA form and make his long-awaited Nets debut alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Seth Curry.
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