Ben Simmons Officially Out for Rest of Nets' Season, Has Started Rehab on Back Injury

Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Head coach Jacque Vaughn confirmed Tuesday that the team is shutting Simmons down.

Vaughn noted Simmons has started a rehab program on the injury, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The Nets announced Friday that the 26-year-old was diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back and would remain out indefinitely.

The following day, Vaughn said the three-time All-Star was "probably not going to join us for the rest of the year."

"We're going to lean into the specialist and the consultation, and I think those answers will come from the specialists," he told reporters.

This was one of the concerns when Simmons experienced back trouble that cost him the entire 2021-22 season. Even though he eventually underwent surgery, back issues can linger long after they first occur.

Those fears added to the questions over whether the 6'10" playmaker could rediscover his peak form. The 2021 playoffs could be a watershed moment in his NBA career.

His performance since has lent credence to that idea. In his first season playing for the Nets, he averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists. Only a month after Simmons made his on-court debut with the team, The Athletic's Charania and Sam Amick reported about a level of internal frustration directed his way.

Simmons' Brooklyn tenure has gone about as badly as it could have so far, and he's still under contract for two more seasons.

The only hope for the organization at this point is that Simmons somehow has a renaissance that rebuilds his trade value. Unfortunately, the odds of that happening only grew slimmer with the recurrence of his back injury.