Agent: Nets' Ben Simmons Not Expected to Undergo Surgery to Repair Back Injury

In the wake of being shut down for the remainder of the 2022-23 season with a back injury, the Brooklyn Nets' Ben Simmons reportedly is not expected to require surgery.

SNY's Ian Begley said that Simmons' injury was diagnosed as a back impingement. Begley added that Simmons' agent, Bernie Lee, told him Simmons is not expected to need surgery and is hopeful to be back by training camp:

Simmons' story in the NBA is shaping up to be one of unfulfilled promise and disappointment after he looked like a potential franchise player in the early portion of his career. Injuries are a main part of that story.

After missing the entire 2021-22 campaign, he was in and out of the lineup for the Nets this season until the LSU product was ruled out for the rest of the season because of a back injury, as Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Tuesday.

It was the latest setback in a career filled with them, as Simmons has struggled to return to the form he displayed when he was a three-time All-Star on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Brooklyn is accustomed to playing without him at this point and will likely turn toward the combination of Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, Nicolas Claxton and Cameron Johnson down the stretch.

Simmons, who arrived in Brooklyn as part of the trade that sent James Harden to Philadelphia, is still just 26 years of age, but he has played in a total of just 42 games the past two seasons and has not reached the 60-game mark since the 2018-19 campaign.

While Simmons' future in Brooklyn would perhaps be in question under normal circumstances, the Nets would likely have a hard time moving on from him even if they wanted to.

Simmons is under contract for two more seasons after the current one and is set to make nearly $38 million next season.