Nets' Ben Simmons Won't Play vs. Clippers With Hip Injury

Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons will miss Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers with left hip soreness, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN.

Any setback for Simmons is sure to raise concern given his history. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft missed his rookie season with a foot injury, didn't play in 2021-22 in part because of back problems and appeared in just 42 games last season.

Simmons hasn't played more than 58 games since the 2018-19 campaign.

There was a time when the LSU product seemed to be a franchise building block for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was a three-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Defensive selection during his time with the team that drafted him, but shooting woes and durability concerns altered the trajectory of his career.

He averaged solid but unspectacular numbers last season for the Nets at 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

He has followed up with averages of 6.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists in six games this season.

Fortunately for the Nets, Simmons was more of a luxury than a necessity coming into the 2023-24 campaign. They will likely continue to rely on Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and others while he is sidelined.