76ers' Ben Simmons Out 3 More Weeks Amid Continued Back Injury Rehab

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons will remain out at least three more weeks because of his recent back injury, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic.

The latest update noted the player is "gradually increasing his activities in his strength and conditioning program," but it will still be some time before he can play in games. Simmons revealed Wednesday he is not currently dealing with pain, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire.

"I can't give you dates," Simmons said Wednesday when approached about a possible timetable for his return, per Carlin.

He was first diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his lower back, which has kept him out since Feb. 22.

The Australia native missed his entire rookie campaign because of a foot injury suffered in training camp. He returned for the start of the 2017-18 season and proceeded to miss four games combined over the next two years.

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the NBA's most impactful players since the Sixers selected him with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. He's averaged 16.7 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 58.5 percent from the field in 54 games during the 2019-20 season.

Philly will likely use a committee approach to run the offense whenever the LSU product is sidelined. Shake Milton, Alec Burks and Raul Neto are among the players who will see an uptick in backcourt playing time, but the ball-handling duties will also stretch to Al Horford.

The 76ers' lack of a direct replacement for Simmons only further increases his value. Any type of long-term absence, especially one that extends into the 2020 playoffs, would significantly diminish the team's championship aspirations.