Ben Simmons has been diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back.

The Brooklyn Nets remain optimistic that Nash will play at some point this season, but time is quickly running out. 

Simmons had an epidural last week to alleviate some pressure in his back.

"He's had this a couple years ago, so he's had [herniated disks] throughout his career at some points," Steve Nash said. "And I guess there was a flare-up. I'm not sure when they recognized it was beyond a back flare-up and a herniated disc or what not, but somewhere along the line there, that was the reason for the epidural."

Nash said last week that Simmons had an MRI on his back so that the organization could figure out what was causing the discomfort.

"I've had the same issues," Nash said. "But they're all really unique and different, so it's really hard for me to kind of share my experiences with it because my back was totally different. You just never know. You never know how it responds. You feel great and turn a corner and the next week or so or it could be a longer-term thing, so we just have to be patient and see how he goes."