Nets Rule Out Ben Simmons for Remainder of Season

Guard/forward Ben Simmons has been a disappointment since arriving in a trade with the 76ers in February 2022.

Now, his season is officially over, coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters.

“Ben will not be joining us the rest of the year,” Vaughn said, adding that Simmons will instead begin offseason rehab and is expected to make a full recovery from lingering back and foot issues.

The Nets have not yet discussed the possibility of surgery on Simmons’ back, Vaughn added, via Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

Simmons recently parted ways with agent Rich Paul and since signed on with Bernie Lee, who also represents Heat star Jimmy Butler.

Simmons sat out all of last season, first with the Sixers and then with the Nets, after requesting a trade from Philadelphia.

He underwent back surgery in the offseason, and was expected to serve as the ultimate complement next to former Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Both of those players, of course, have since been traded — and Brooklyn has become a team of guys who play hard and give great effort under Vaughn.

At this point it’s hard to see Simmons as a fit, but then again, he will be incredibly difficult to trade after signing a five-year, $177 million contract extension with the 76ers in 2019.