Nets’ Ben Simmons available to return Monday after nearly three-month absence with back injury

Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets is set to return the court on Monday against the Utah Jazz. Simmons, who has not appeared in an NBA game since Nov. 6 because of a nerve impingement in his lower back, is listed as available to play on the team’s injury report.

Simmons, who has appeared in only six regular-season games this season, practiced with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, in the last week to ramp up for his return.

Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn told reporters last week that there were “no setbacks” for Simmons.

Simmons’ last appearance came nearly three months ago against the Milwaukee Bucks. He will return to a team that has been in free fall — Brooklyn has lost 17 of its last 22 games and is currently 18-27 on the season, 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The major questions regarding Simmons are the same as they were at the beginning of the season: Can the former All-Star stay healthy for an extended stretch? Will he aggressively attack the basket? How will he fit next to Nic Claxton? The context, though, is completely different. The trade deadline is approaching, the Nets are underachieving and their style of play has not resembled the defense-first, transition-heavy one that Vaughn was talking about in training camp.

Part of the problem has been that they’ve missed the pace, playmaking and physicality that Simmons can provide. He’s a tricky piece to integrate, though, and the vibes have been off for a while.

Since arriving in Brooklyn in 2022, Simmons has averaged 6.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, though his sample size is limited to just 48 games overall (39 starts).