Impact As Charania notes, Simmons' back issues have dated back to February 2020, when he was sidelined for a period of time due to a nerve impingement. The Nets will wait and see how Simmons responds to the epidural before deciding his next course of action, but he's looking increasingly unlikely to make his team debut during the regular season, which concludes April 10. Head coach Steve Nash has remained steadfast in his belief that Simmons will play in 2021-22, but if that happens, Brooklyn may need to make a playoff run. Even if the epidural successfully alleviates Simmons' back soreness and he's cleared to resume basketball-related activities in the next few days, he'll still likely require at least a week or two of practice time to advance to full-contact, 5-on-5 work in addition to getting himself in game shape.
MARCH 21, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
