Updated Injury Report: Ben Simmons Ruled OUT vs. Knicks

After leaving Thursday night's loss to the Detroit Pistons with knee soreness, Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons has been ruled out for Saturday night's game against the New York Knicks. As expected, the team is labeling it as "left knee soreness" for Simmons.

It has been a frustrating year for Ben Simmons, who has dealt with injuries and decreased production. Averaging a career-low 7.4 PPG, Simmons is set to miss his 12th game the season on Saturday. The vision Brooklyn had of his fit alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has yet to develop, and some have grown skeptical that it ever will.

Still productive on the defensive end, Simmons has utility when healthy, but his $35.4M salary demands much more than just defensive versatility. Attempting just 5.9 shots per game, Simmons has acknowledged his need to be more aggressive, but it has yet to happen on a consistent basis.

The good news for the Nets, is that they have found ways to win without much production from Simmons. This leaves some reason for optimism that any increased production from their third max-contract player could unlock a new tier for the team. While this is the hope for Brooklyn, Simmons has shown little signs of being able to reach anywhere near the level of production he delivered in his three-straight All-Star appearances with Philly. For now, the focus is just on getting him healthy.

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