ORLANDO, Florida. Ben Simmons’ latest back failure should be alarming as orthopedic specialists who spoke to The Post wonder if the Nets rookie will be ready to debut by the end of the regular season or even during the playoffs.
The 25-year-old All-Star, for whom the Nets essentially traded former MVP James Harden on the Feb. 10 trade deadline, hasn’t played at all since June 20 last year, first holding out in Philadelphia and now gaining momentum in Brooklyn. .
Now, after what the Nets describe as a “bad back,” not only was Simmons not ready for practice by last Saturday, as he originally hoped, but he’s not even cleared to run and sprint or go one-on-one. A full workout is just a few steps away: two outside pundits told The Post that he was unlikely to be ready for the regular season finals on April 10, and one didn’t even think he’d make the playoffs at all.
“I don’t think this is happening. I think the odds are against it. Think of it this way: the longer he’s been away, the longer he’s likely to be away. Until you fundamentally change the underlying problem,” said Dr. Rahul Shah, board certified spine and neck orthopedic surgeon.
Ben SimmonsEric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports
“I don’t think he’ll come back [this season]. I don’t think you have anything to say that he would be convincing. He has to run sprints before he can go one-on-one or five-on-five.”
Based in New Jersey, Shah was the Magic’s team doctor and saw Simmons play several times. He likened Simmons’ situation to quicksand and said he expected Simmons to need an epidural cortisone injection and possibly surgery during the off-season.
Ben Simmons heads to rehab at HSS.BACKGRID clinic
“What do I think will happen? The season ends, the media goes silent, he takes care of everything he needs. And then he goes into rehab and comes back, “Oh yeah, he got a little back surgery.” Here’s what I think will happen. It could be an injection, and most likely it will be a post-injection procedure.”
While the Nets have invested heavily in Simmons — he’s the team’s centerpiece in the Harden mega-deal, and he’s only in his second season on a five-year, $177 million contract — it’s critical that he comes back right. And this is his fourth back injury in just two years.
Simmons missed eight games in a row and was treated daily for nerve problems in his lower back when the 2019-2020 campaign was halted due to COVID-19. The following season, he suffered a pinched nerve in his lower back and, according to then-76ers coach Brett Brown, vomited from the pain.
There was another outbreak this season in Philadelphia, and now another during his rise to the Nets. But his new crew was usually silent, leaving him out of their last flights to spare his back, but offering no timeline.
“Just keep rehab, keep strengthening his back in all of these areas and keep progressing moving forward,” head coach Steve Nash said. “Rehabilitate and just strengthen his back, and continue to get more mobility and more dynamic movements every day.”
Dr. Amin Tehrani — also a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and associate professor of clinical medicine at Mount Sinai — was a bit more optimistic. But Tehrani, who has worked alongside team doctors for the Jets, Rangers and Islanders, still believes Simmons is missing the regular season.
Ben SimmonsGetty Images
“Oh yes. Yes, I definitely see it. The problem with back injuries is that they can become chronic and severe,” said Tehrani, who thinks it’s possible that Simmons could return to training in time to prepare for the play-ins. or the playoffs.” Yes, I think that’s fair.
The Nets are currently ranked eighth in the East behind the Toronto. If the season ended now, they would be playing the Raptors with the seventh seed in the play-in.
Simmons still needs to get permission to run, sprint and head to head. He may then eventually move on to a five-on-five game. Once that happens, the work group will likely require him to complete three high-intensity workouts before turning him in.
But time is running out.