The Philadelphia 76ers are probably thrilled with how well the addition of LeBron James has gone so far. But the Anfernee Simons acquisition still deserves an incomplete grade because of his Jekyll-and-Hyde performances, something many Portland Trail Blazers fans have witnessed firsthand, in the Sixers' first two games of the regular season.
Simons had an impressive debut with Philly, as he helped his new squad take down the reigning NBA champions, the New York Knicks. He put up 13 points and three 3-pointers off the bench while connecting on half of his field-goal attempts.
With his reputation as a microwave scorer, he should be the ideal sixth man for a team that might have the best starting five but one of the thinnest benches in the league. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old guard has yet to shed the "inconsistent" and "inefficient" labels that have plagued him since he was drafted by the Blazers in 2018.
The Blazers faithful have gotten used to watching a streaky Ant
Of course, Simons' career has not been all that bad. He showcased his abilities as a three-level scorer during his Portland stint, averaging 19.9 points per game in his final four seasons with the franchise. But the fact that he has never shot better than 44.7 percent from the field over the course of a regular season has not exactly endeared him to a lot of fans.
There is a belief, though, that playing alongside James, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown should improve his efficiency.
That wasn't the case Thursday, when he couldn't buy a bucket against the Cleveland Cavaliers, going 0-4 in 17 minutes of play. He was also a team-worst -21 in the first half, as the Sixers trailed by as much as 29 points.
Philadelphia did rally after halftime, thanks largely to its stars. As for Simons, he made a four-minute cameo in the third period before riding the bench in the fourth.
Simons laying an egg shouldn't be that big a deal. After all, the Sixers won. And this could happen again from time to time. But relying too much on the starters could eventually take its toll, especially with LeBron's advanced age and Embiid's fragile health.
The former Blazer is in the midst of a pivotal season
How Ant performs this year could make or break the rest of his NBA career. For any franchise with James as one of its top players, it's always championship or bust. And if Simons can't help the Sixers compete for a title, he might not stay on the roster for long.
If that happens, it's unclear what team would be interested in bringing him in. Based on what we saw from him during his time with the Blazers, his shot-making skills alone should be enough to intrigue some front offices.
However, Simons' one-dimensional game may be working against him. And if he can't be consistent at what he supposedly does best, his time in Philadelphia could be numbered. Then again, the regular season isn't a week old, and he should have plenty of opportunities to prove that he is a winning player.
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