The nightmare continues! Ben Simmons undergoes second back surgery in three years

Brooklyn Nets player Ben Simmons has undergone his second back surgery in three years, with both he and his team hoping that the procedure will give him the relief he needs to complete a full NBA season.

The Nets announced that Simmons underwent a microscopic partial discectomy on Thursday, with the goal of relieving a pinched nerve in his lower back. The surgery was performed at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center by Dr. Timur Urakov, in consultation with Dr. Barth Green.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp next season. Since the Nets acquired Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2021-22 season, he has played in just 57 games.

Simmons' bad luck with injuries continued when he injured his back while trying to regain his conditioning following a trade after not playing for the 76ers at the beginning of the season due to mental health issues. After the season, he underwent a microdiscectomy to remove a small piece of a herniated disc.

Injuries persisted, however, and Simmons was only able to appear in 42 games in the 2022-23 season before being sidelined in March due to a nerve impingement in his lower back. This season, the injury recurred after just six games, limiting Simmons to just 15 total appearances, including a stretch of 38 consecutive games missed at one point.

The Nets announced last week that Simmons would not return to the court this season and that they would explore alternative treatment options.