Ben Simmons To Undergo Back Surgery

Ben Simmons has yet to play for the Brooklyn Nets, and it may take time for that to happen.

The 6-foot-11 cager will reportedly undergo back surgery, something that will keep him from playing basketball for three to four months according to sources in a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski added in the report that if his recovery goes well, Simmons could be back by the time training camp starts.

Simmons will be undergoing a microdiscectomy procedure to address the pain located in a herniated disk of his lower back, the Brooklyn Nets said in an official statement via ESPN.

The decision for Simmons to undergo surgery was agreed upon after consultation with multiple back specialists.

The procedure and recovery time also means that Simmons may end up struggling to try to recall his old form and address areas of his game that need improvement.

The last time Simmons played in an NBA game was Game 7 of the Sixers' second-round series against the Atlanta Hawk in June of last year.

There was the growing belief that he would have suited in Game 4 of the Nets’ series against the Boston Celtics. However, that never happened and this raised eyebrows.

In a previous report here on the International Business Times, it was detailed how Nets players were confused at the lack of effort that he had in playing despite being in pain considering there were high stakes on the line.

Moreover, it was added by Jake Fischer of the Bleacher Report that people close to Simmons encouraged him to suit up, a move that would have helped him establish a deeper connection with his teammates.

The three-time NBA All-Star has three years left in his $114 million contract after this season.