Shams: Nets' Ben Simmons 'Feeling a Lot Better' After Surgery on Back Injury

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is reportedly "feeling a lot better" after undergoing a microdiscectomy procedure on his back last week.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium told the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that Simmons is planning to be on the floor during the 2022-23 NBA season.

The three-time All-Star missed this entire season after holding out from the Philadelphia 76ers amid mental health concerns and because of the back injury after his trade from the Nets. Simmons and his representatives have maintained the mental health issues have exacerbated his back injury.

The Nets were hopeful, at various points, that Simmons would make his team debut. There were even reports he was planning to be back on the floor during Brooklyn's first-round series against the Boston Celtics.

The team announced Simmons underwent a microdiscectomy procedure on his back May 5, saying he would be reevaluated in three weeks. He is expected to be fully healthy by the beginning of training camp.

That said, there is no telling what version of Simmons the Nets will get once he returns to the floor. Simmons looked like a player whose confidence was shot during his final moments as a Sixer, plagued with self-doubt over his struggles from the free-throw line and the constant barrage of fan frustration.

The spotlight will only be brighter on him after he took off the entire 2021-22 season.