Brooklyn Nets
1 Player who has been a disaster: Ben Simmons
I'll be the first to admit that I may have set myself up for disaster on this one, but I did believe that there was a non-zero chance that we'd see the best version of Ben Simmons that we've seen in a very long time. Simply put, that hasn't happened so far this season. In fact, Simmons has been a huge disappointment even in most people's eyes this season. In the final year of his contract, the thought was that Simmons was playing for more than pride or re-establishing himself as a capable NBA player.
Simmons would be playing for a new contract this season. However, through the first few weeks of the regular season, that may not seem like a priority for Simmons. In seven games played, Simmons is averaging just six points and six assists per game. He's averaging 25 minutes per contest and taking under five shot attempts per game. That to me is the most stunning stat. Simmons continues to refuse to look in the direction of the basket and it could end up costing him another shot in the league.
Charlotte Hornets
1 Player who has been a disaster: Miles Bridges
Of all the young cores in the league that no one seems to be talking about, the Charlotte Hornets may have the best one. There are questions as to whether they have a legit face of the franchise on their roster but there's no question that the talent is there. One questionable move that the team made during the offseason was re-signing Miles Bridges. Not necessarily considered a part of the young core, the hope was that BRidges would give the team a much-needed veteran presence on the roster this season.
At least so far this year, the Hornets have managed to be somewhat competitive in spite of Bridges. The numbers don't lie. According to NBA.com, the Hornets are better both offensively and defensively when Bridges is off the floor. From an individual point of view, Bridges is also on pace to have his least efficient season to date. Since becoming a full-time starter, Bridges is having the worst start to a season. Bridges can certainly turn things around but he's quickly becoming more of a liability for Charlotte on the basketball floor.