"Ben Simmons seems like a lost cause": Shannon Sharpe says Brooklyn Nets' player is failing to meet expectations

Ben Simmons' time with the Brooklyn Nets has been anything but the revenge tour he hoped for. After one of the most infamous playoff blunders in recent memory, Simmons found himself on the outs with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets last year in a deal for James Harden.

At the time, it seemed like a pretty even trade. Simmons had been dealing with injuries and mental health issues following his ill-advised pass in the closing minutes of the team's game against the Hawks. With that said, however, he was still an All-Star caliber player who could facilitate on offense and defend multiple positions.

After being traded to the Nets, Simmons sat out the remainder of the season, including the playoffs where Kevin Durant was left to fend for himself. With lingering back problems and mental health struggles, many hoped this season would be a return to form for the former All-Star. Needless to say, it has been anything but.

Throughout the course of 10 games played, Simmons has averaged a career-low 5.8 points. At the same time, Ben Simmons has averaged a career-high in fouls. He has fouled out twice this season. On the heels of a season high 11 points in the team's 153-121 loss to the Sacramento Kings, analyst Shannon Sharpe called him a lost cause:

“Ben Simmons seems like a lost cause. It’s just seems like it's one thing after another. ... I thought that the Brooklyn Nets got a good deal. They had a guy in James Harden that no longer wanted to be there, and it seemed like the only team that was willing to trade with them was the Sixers."

He continued, breaking down the blockbuster trade that happened last season while discussing the fallout:

"And it seems like, well, Skip, we're exchanging problems. We got a guy that don't want to be here either. You got a guy that don't want to be there, so how bout we just swap? James Harden is hurt now, I'm not sure that he lived up to the expectations that Philly had for him. But Simmons hasn’t come close to meeting expectations.”

The comments came during a recent episode of"Skip & Shannon: Undisputed," which you can see below. Sharpe's comments about Simmons begin around the 1:50-minute mark.

Where do Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets go from here?

Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets have continued to struggle this season. From being one of the most feared and highly touted teams in the Eastern Conference to an atrocious 6-9 record to start the season, something needs to change.

Going into the season, it seemed as though Kevin Durant was confident coach Steve Nash was the problem. Although newly appointed coach Jacque Vaughn has helped the team find some success, they have a long way to go. In addition to Simmons playing like a shell of his former self, Kyrie Irving has continued to serve a suspension while taking steps toward returning to the floor.

Only time will tell whether or not Ben Simmons will be able to turn things around.

You can see him discussing his season-high 11 points in the video below.