Ben Simmons Rumors: People Exasperated by This Saga; PG Had Genuine Optimism to Play

The Brooklyn Nets continue to be frustrated by Ben Simmons as the guard will miss Monday's game against the Boston Celtics. 

"The people involved here are exasperated by this saga because that is what it is," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Monday on Get Up. "I got the feeling yesterday that it was like waving a white flag."

Simmons hasn't played all season but was expected to return for Game 4 of the first-round series Monday before being ruled out Sunday with back issues, via Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Windhorst provided the latest:

"I know that this might have the appearance of Ben Simmons saying 'I don't want to play, we're down 3-0.' But, he woke up yesterday with his back hurting, that is what I have been told. It's as simple as that. He just didn't feel comfortable going to play for the first time in 11 months with the way his back felt. That's the bottom line. It's extraordinarily disappointing because he had, I would say, genuine optimism for at least a week that he was going to play in this game. He wasn't even ruling himself out for Game 3. And so, the Nets were expecting to get this, he was expecting to play. It was another knee-capping moment in what's been a season of knee-capping moments for Ben Simmons." "

The Nets are down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Simmons came to Brooklyn in a February trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers. Mental health concerns kept Simmons from playing with the 76ers, but a herniated disk in his back has limited him with the Nets.

The last NBA game for the guard was in the playoffs last June.

Simmons planned to return for Game 4 of the series, per Nick Friedell of ESPN, but cautioned that it was still a slow process.

"If I could play right now, I'd be on the court," he told reporters. "So it is what it is."

Nets head coach Steve Nash was also unsure about the situation when asked Sunday.

"I think it just really depends hour to hour how he improves and where he's at," Nash said.

With the Nets on the brink of elimination, Simmons could miss the entire season.

The 25-year-old remains under contract for three more seasons but faces serious question marks about his future.