Ben Simmons injury update: How long will 76ers rookie be out?

Philadelphia 76ers rookie and 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons is slated to undergo foot surgery, and now there’s a timeline for how long he’ll be out.

It was originally reported Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons rolled his right ankle during practice on Friday, with precautionary X-rays to come. But that further examination brought bad news, with further reports that Simmons has a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot and is slated to undergo surgery next week.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News has reported Simmons has a Jones fracture and ESPN’s Jeff Goodman first reported this year’s first overall pick is expected to be out for three months. ESPN’s sources suggest Simmons suffered an acute injury-caused by landing on another player’s foot-rather than a stress reaction.

Simmons recently said he has gained 33 pounds since leaving LSU, which would put him at 250 pounds. That immediately brought speculation about the added weight causing his foot injury, but ESPN also reported Simmons weighed in at 240 pounds shortly after the 76ers drafted him and he reported to training camp earlier this week at 244 pounds.

Simmons is the latest in a line of 76ers’ draftees that have missed time to injury. 2013 No. 6 overall pick Nerlens Noel missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL, and 2014 No. 3 overall pick Joel Embiid is finally on track to contribute after missing his entire first two NBA seasons due to multiple right foot issues.

The nature of Simmons’ foot injury makes it possible he’ll miss more than three months, since there’s small percentage chance of a re-fracture with Jones fractures. It seems unlikely Simmons will miss his entire rookie season, but the 76ers have no reason to rush him back into action if there’s any doubt about his foot.

Next: 5 reasons 76ers can still improve without Ben Simmons

Even if the 76ers start to finally bear fruit from former general manager Sam Hinkie’s “Process” and make a push toward playoff contention this season, an eye toward the future has to be maintained. Simmons is a big part of that future, and making sure he is completely healed from a potentially complicated foot injury has to be the No.1 priority for the franchise.