The official designation of Ben Simmons’ injury has changed, but his actual ailment is the same.
The Nets’ point guard missed Monday’s 106-102 loss to Memphis with what was listed as a left lower-back nerve impingement after having initially been designated as leg soreness.
But the leg issues are stemming from the long-standing impingement, which is why the team updated the listing.
A source close to Simmons told The Post that the three-time All-Star did not suffer a new impingement, that this is the same one that plagued him earlier.
He hasn’t gotten any new imaging (e.g. MRI, X-ray) and isn’t expected to; nor has he received any more shots.
Asked if the Nets had any new update on Simmons, interim coach Kevin Ollie said there wasn’t.
“No. We were just trying to get to the source of it and that’s why the change of the wording was,” Ollie said. “But he’s still day-to-day, he’s still on the court, and hopefully we can get him back soon and get him ready for this playoff push that we have in March and April.”
Simmons missed his 46th game of the season Monday, having played in just 57 of 178 total games since the Nets acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline.
The Nets were banged up in a physical game, no player more so than Day’Ron Sharpe.
The backup center fell hard and came up flexing his wrist.
He left with eight minutes remaining and didn’t return. The Nets had no immediate clarity on his status, with his availability for Tuesday’s tilt against Philadelphia up in the air.
“No, I don’t have any updates right now,” Ollie said. “But we’ll get to our doctors, our medical team. They’ll get Day’Ron back and hopefully be ready to play [Tuesday].”
Lonnie Walker IV seemed to twist his ankle and was walking with an ice wrap on it and a noticeable limp afterwards. When asked by The Post, he said he was “fine” and should be available Tuesday.
Dennis Schroder took a knee to the head on a drive and fall to the floor. He was down for a while but finished the game with 13 points and a game-high nine assists.
Cam Thomas missed his fourth consecutive game with a right ankle/midfoot sprain. But he was dunking at morning shootaround and appears to be making progress. The team views him as day-to-day.
The Grizzlies played without Ja Morant (shoulder surgery), Desmond Bane (left ankle sprain) and Jaren Jackson Jr., the latter ruled out pregame with a quad injury.
Monday marked the deadline for signing two-way players for the rest of the year. The Nets — who had already inked 20-year-old wing Jaylen Martin to a two-year, two-way contract — added diminutive point guard Jacob Gilyard to their other two-way spot.
Gilyard had ironically succeeded Kennedy Chandler in Memphis when Chandler was waived and picked up by the Nets (currently with G-League Long Island). The point guard underwent his physical on Monday and will head directly to Long Island.
Rookie second-round pick Jalen Wilson’s three-year deal is worth almost $5 million. Per HoopsHype. He’s making $849,000 this season, $1.9 million partially guaranteed next season and a team-option for $2.2 million in 2025-26.
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