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Ben Simmons could be making his on-court return very soon.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that there is “optimism” that the Brooklyn Nets forward could return for the team’s matchup against the Utah Jazz on Monday. Simmons has only appeared in six games during the 2023-24 season and hasn’t played since Nov. 6 due to a lower back nerve impingement.
In his six starts, the 27-year-old is averaging 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field.
Simmons has been practicing with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, as he’s prepared to make his return to NBA action. This is an important step in his rehab with a return reportedly on the horizon.
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn was cautiously optimistic regarding Simmons’ recovery, telling reporters on Tuesday that the three-time All-Star is “still improving.”
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Jacque Vaughn said Ben Simmons will not play this week but the team hopes to get him a practice in Long Island in the near future:
“He will not play this week, but all signs are pointing towards him… at some point I think we’ll use Long Island, hopefully, to get a practice… pic.twitter.com/QgbsEauXGb
“At some point I think we’ll use Long Island, hopefully, to get a practice underneath him or get some more bodies around him,” Vaughn said. “Hopefully that’s in the near future. But no setbacks, and he did work out today.”
The former Eastern Conference Coach of the Month echoed a similar sentiment when asked about Simmons’ status on Thursday, explaining to the media that the former No. 1 overall pick will practice with Long Island once again on Saturday before returning to the court “next week” if there are no setbacks (per Newsday’s Evan Barnes).
Simmons has struggled to stay healthy over the past few years, appearing in just 163 games since the start of the 2019-20 season. Although he was considered the centerpiece of Brooklyn’s haul in the James Harden trade, the former Rookie of the Year has underwhelmed with the Nets.
He’ll attempt to help turn around the team’s season once he returns, as Brooklyn is currently sitting at 17-26.
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