Sixers

Report: Ben Simmons has a Herniated Disc and His “Return to Action this Season is Uncertain”

By Kyle Pagan

Published: Mar 21st, 2022 · 12:32 PM EDT

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Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that it doesn’t seem like Ben Simmons, Kyrie, and KD will be on the floor much together before the playoffs, if at all:

“Simmons is dealing with a herniated disc in his back and although his return to action this season is uncertain, he wants to be back on the floor as soon as he can, sources tell The Athletic. Simmons, who had an epidural injection last week to relieve the soreness, has dealt with back issues dating back to February 2020 when he missed time due to a nerve impingement. As Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently, Simmons’ return this season has been delayed due to the back. Then, a target return of March 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers was missed as the back issues persisted.”

Per my two seconds of Google research it turns out herniated discs don’t seem fun:

A herniated disc (also called bulged, slipped or ruptured) is a fragment of the disc nucleus that is pushed out of the annulus, into the spinal canal through a tear or rupture in the annulus. Discs that become herniated usually are in an early stage of degeneration.

So Ben Simmons is lacking a strong spine? Shocker. I could’ve diagnosed that to Sean Marks before physicals were even done to announce the trade. It makes more sense now why he needed Blake Griffin’s cushion after playing, <checks notes>, zero minutes that Thursday in Philly:

Standing and sitting for 48 minutes seems exhausting for the back pic.twitter.com/uGnUzDbcj4

— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) March 11, 2022

I’ll tell you what, I don’t know if I’d rather my 25 year old be dealing with back issues this young or my 32 year old dealing with a sore hamstring. Kind of feels like the Sixers and Nets both traded for damaged goods. Here’s a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta with the paint chipped off and a dent on the bumper for a 1998 Toyota Camry with 175,000 miles on it. It’ll be interesting to see who wins the deal five years from now.

Shams also had this little nugget in his article about the Sixers making a run at Bradley Beal during the trade deadline if he was cleared from his wrist injury:

“The 76ers did their due diligence with the Wizards on Beal throughout the season, but many across the NBA say it was much more than that. Multiple sources said the 76ers worked during the season on a potential trade. Beal faced a decision on whether to force a trade out of Washington and Philadelphia had prominent interest at the deadline if he was cleared to play from his wrist injury. The 76ers’ package would have been centered around Simmons and draft picks, sources said. Several teams beyond Philadelphia would have engaged should the Wizards have opened conversations, but that never happened. Beal ultimately did not request a trade, and underwent season-ending wrist surgery on Feb. 10, the day of the deadline.”