National Basketball Association

Nets' Ben Simmons to miss rest of season due to continuing back problems

Updated Mar. 7, 2024 10:18 a.m. ET

Ben Simmons will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season, the third straight year the former All-Star's campaign has ended early because of back problems.

The Brooklyn Nets said Thursday that Simmons will use the time he is out to consult with specialists and seek treatment options for the pinched nerve in his lower back that has sidelined him twice this season.

Simmons has been limited to 15 games this season. He missed 38 straight at one point and has sat out the last five.

The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft ends this season with averages of 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He has not finished a season since the Nets acquired him from Philadelphia at the trade deadline in 2022.

"Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health," the Nets said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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