NEW YORK — It appears Ben Simmons is still a ways away from returning to the court. The Nets announced on Wednesday that Simmons has “displayed consistent strength improvement” in his lower back and has gradually increased his workload since the last time reporters inquired about his status on Dec. 2. However, Simmons is still not ready to play and will be re-evaluated again in two weeks. He has not appeared in a game for Brooklyn since Nov. 2 because of a nerve impingement in his lower back. “We’re doing this two-week thing just to give you some sort of semblance of being able to communicate …
