Ben Simmons’ status remains uncertain
The status of Ben Simmons, who has not played a game for the 76ers this season, will receive some clarity after a Feb. 23 CT scan, team president Bryan Colangelo said in a statement Thursday.
The status of Ben Simmons, who has not played a game for the 76ers this season, will receive some clarity after a Feb. 23 CT scan, team president Bryan Colangelo said in a statement Thursday.
Simmons sustained a Jones fracture in his right foot in training camp. The Sixers have not specified a date for his return.
According to a philly.com report from New Orleans, where the NBA is preparing for its All-Star Weekend, Simmons will visit the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York for an update. That could be as soon as Monday, the report said. The report added that a Jan. 23 scan revealed that the fracture had not fully healed.
“We continue to monitor the recovery of Ben’s injury,” Colangelo said, “and are employing a conservative and thoughtful approach to his rehabilitation program, basing his return to full basketball activity on the advice and direction of medical professionals.”
Simmons has been engaging in modest basketball activity at the Sixers’ Camden training center. He has not resumed fullcontact basketball.
Head coach Brett Brown has said the rookie point guard will need a minimum of five full practices, either with the Sixers or some of their minor-league players or coaching staff, before being permitted to play in an NBA game. Simmons has not been cleared for that activity.
“His next CT scan is scheduled for February 23,” Colangelo said, “after which our medical team will thoroughly review and evaluate his status moving forward.”
Simmons was the No. 1 overall pick the last draft. The Sixers have had a critical player miss each of the previous four seasons, including Andrew Bynum in 2013, Nerlens Noel in 2014 and Joel Embiid in 2015 and 2016. The latest blast of promised caution suggests the possibility that Simmons could extend that streak to five seasons.
“Ben’s long-term health,” Colangelo said, “remains our primary concern.”
The Sixers have reached the All-Star break. They will next play Feb. 24 when the Washington Wizards visit the Wells Fargo Center.