Physical Therapist Thinks Brooklyn Nets Star Has Nerve Issues -Report

The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly going to have Ben Simmons available in the first round of the NBA playoffs, provided that they can get past the resurgent Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in tournament.

Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported this development regarding Simmons via Twitter, and a doctor responded to his wording of the tweet with much interest.

Dr. Evan Jeffries, a doctor of physical therapy, noted that Charania’s report said that Simmons was “strengthening his legs and back” in preparation for his on-court return.

“Interesting that Shams said strengthen ‘legs’ indicating possible nerve issue down the legs from a herniated disc,” Jeffries wrote.

Simmons’ absence this season has been a major storyline in the NBA thus far, and it has caused some rumblings among fans as to whether the former Philadelphia 76ers point guard would ever play.

At the height of the 2022 NBA trade deadline, the Nets shipped out 10-time All-Star James Harden for Simmons in a massive trade that saw the Sixers’ bid for an NBA Finals appearance increase, while questions lingered about the franchise's season.

With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving doing their best to secure a postseason spot for the Nets, the Australian native was able to keep his head down and work on getting back to playing condition.

Brooklyn has been hush-hush regarding the status of their newly-acquired point guard throughout this time leading to much speculation about his status.

A herniated disc usually takes up to three months to recover from and can certainly damage one’s nerves if not treated as soon as possible.

If Simmons really were dealing with a nerve issue, then that would sufficiently explain why he has missed the entire regular season thus far.

Should the Nets win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday, April 12, they then fight for final seeding against the winner between the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.

Durant and Irving are expected to put up big numbers against the Cavaliers as they now have added motivation and incentive to survive the mini-tournament and face either the No. 1-seeded Miami Heat or the No. 2-rated Boston Celtics.

Simmons will likely need some time to shake off the rust, and fans should be on the lookout for him to play sooner than the first round.