Shannon Sharpe goes off on Ben Simmons after poor start to season: "You can’t win a championship with Ben Simmons, of 126 qualified players, Ben has 2nd-worst defensive rating in the NBA"
This season was supposed to be a return to form for Ben Simmons. The three-time All-Star sat out the entirety of last year while battling ongoing back pain and mental health struggles. While many hoped that his return this season would be a dominant one, so far it has been anything but.
In the team's season opener, Simmons recorded just four points before fouling out. Two days later, he appeared to show glimpses of his old self as he picked up 10 rebounds and eight assists in the team's 109-105 win.
Unfortunately, Simmons once again fouled out on Monday as the team lost 134-124 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Although it's a small sample size, this season has been rough for Simmons.
Through the first three games of the season, Simmons boasts the second-worst defensive rating in the league. The way analyst Shannon Sharpe sees things, there's no way the Nets can compete for a championship with Simmons playing this way:
"You can’t win a championship with Ben Simmons. Of 126 qualified players, Ben has the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA, second to Kevin Durant. In three games, Ben has 17 points and 14 fouls."
The comments came on the most recent episode of "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," which you can see below.
Sharpe's comments come around the 30-second mark.
The stat is a particularly concerning one for Nets fans. With Kyrie Irving eligible to play, and Ben Simmons healthy, many hoped the team could have a breakout year and reach the NBA Finals.
Where do Ben Simmons and the Nets go from here?
As many have continued to point out since the season kicked off, the Nets lack size on the defensive end. Given that, many have wondered how the team will match up with Eastern Conference teams like the Milwaukee Bucks & Philadelphia 76ers.
With dominant big men like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid eager to reach the NBA finals, the Nets could be in trouble.
This has led many to speculate that the Nets could look to facilitate a mid-season trade that could send Joe Harris or Seth Curry elsewhere. In return, of course, the team will likely look to get a defender capable of competing inside the paint.
With that said, many Nets fans have continued to hope that the return of Seth Curry will help the team space the floor. As things stand right now, Curry could return to the floor Thursday evening.
Whether or not the team looks for a midseason trade, Ben Simmons' play needs to improve if the team wants to make a playoff run.
There's no clear indication if the Nets will look to win with the roster they currently have, or if they'll opt for a midseason trade. Give us your thoughts on Ben Simmons and the state of the Nets after the first three games of the season in the comments.