Embattled Nets star Ben Simmons has been restricted to particular person on-court work in apply as he battles a mix of left knee and again soreness that has sidelined him because the NBA All-Star break.
Simmons missed his fifteenth straight sport as a result of what the crew has deemed left knee/again soreness, watching from the sidelines throughout Brooklyn’s matchup towards the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Vaughn mentioned for the primary time since Simmons each obtained a platelet-rich plasma injection and had fluid drained from his knee in the course of the All-Star break that Simmons has solely practiced in a person setting.
“It's not with teammates, and so I’ll say that piece of it,” the top coach mentioned forward of tip-off towards the Cavaliers on Thursday. “He hasn’t scripted with our group — first group, second group or something of that nature.”
Contemplating apply time between the Feb. 9 NBA Commerce Deadline — when Vaughn finalized a beginning lineup of Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Nic Claxton — and the Feb. 17 begin of the All-Star break was minimal, Simmons’ time spent on the courtroom with the new-look Nets has been scarce.
Which makes it troublesome to check a world the place he makes a real influence on the Nets’ season given there are actually solely 9 potential video games the purpose ahead can now play in with no timetable but given for his damage return.
“That’s why the good factor is I don’t even assume that far forward my man. I don’t even complicate my life that approach,” Vaughn mentioned. “I’m involved about right now’s sport and if these questions current themselves, I’ll be greater than keen to see how he matches with the group and reply it at the moment, however I don’t even wanna look that far forward.
“Ben’s in the identical place he was the final time I talked to you [on Tuesday]. Nothing additional to touch upon. I don’t assume I can provide you anything. There’s nothing so as to add, actually.”
Simmons is the highest-paid participant on the Nets’ payroll — and he’s additionally essentially the most embellished when it comes to particular person accolades.
He was named 2018 Rookie of the Yr, led the NBA in steals in 2020, was named twice to the NBA All-Defensive First Workforce and is a three-time All-Star. He signed a rookie max scale extension with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier than arriving in Brooklyn as a part of the James Harden commerce and is due a complete of $78M over the following two seasons.
Again points have left him off the courtroom most of the time since he landed in Brooklyn. Simmons suffered a herniated disk final season, obtained an epidural in an try to work via the damage, opted for offseason surgical procedure and missed your complete 2021-22 season in Brooklyn, and has since had spotty availability this season, showing in simply 42 of 73 potential video games this season.
Simmons is averaging 6.9 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per sport. He averaged 15.9 factors, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.6 steals via 4 years in Philadelphia earlier than citing psychological well being points as the explanation for holding out your complete first half of the 2021-22 season with the Sixers earlier than arriving in Brooklyn.
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