The Brooklyn Nets said Friday that point guard Ben Simmons has been diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back.
Brooklyn added that Simmons, who hasn't played since Feb. 15, will remain out of the lineup as the team figures out the best long-term course for treatment.
Simmons leads the Nets with 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game in his first season with the club and is also averaging 6.9 points and 6.3 rebounds.
The three-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in February 2022 after spending the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, which came to a tumultuous end.
Simmons, 26, was shut down for the remainder of the season and did not play with the Nets until the fall due to a herniated disk in his back.
The slumping Nets (39-34) are seventh in the Eastern Conference and have lost five straight games.
