Steve Nash 'Very Hopeful' Ben Simmons Will Play for Nets During Regular Season

Ben Simmons will not travel with the Brooklyn Nets on their trip to Orlando, but coach Steve Nash said he remains "very hopeful" the All-Star will make his team debut before the regular season ends.

Nash added the team's confidence is "extremely high" that Simmons' back injury will be healed enough for him to play over the final stretch of the season.

Simmons has not played in a game this season amid mental health issues and a lingering back injury. 

"Unfortunately his back stiffness has delayed his ability to get on the court with his teammates. so he's been rehabbing this last sort of week to 10 days," general manager Sean Marks told YES Network. "And then now he'll progress throughout this week with some individual [work]. Hopefully, by the end of next week he's getting more into the team environment, and then we can really ramp up and start him getting into sort of game shape and so forth. 

The Nets have not given a timetable for his team debut, but time is running out for him to get acclimated before the playoffs. Brooklyn has only 14 regular-season games remaining on the schedule, and Kyrie Irving is only available for four of those contests because of his vaccination status.

It's possible the first time Simmons, Irving and Kevin Durant share the floor together as teammates will come in the playoffs.

Brooklyn is currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and would have to win a play-in game to qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today. 

Simmons was the centerpiece of a trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers at the deadline, and he has the capability of swinging the title picture if he's healthy. That said, how he looks once he finally makes his team debut is anyone's guess at this point.