The Memphis Grizzlies and Kobi Simmons have parted ways after the team waived the guard on Tuesday.
Simmons went unselected in last year’s NBA Draft, but the Arizona Wildcats product managed to find his way into the league when the Grizzlies inked him to a two-way deal in July 2017. He spent most of last season playing for the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, where he played 26 games and averaged 15.1 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per contest. He shot 43.7 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from behind the arc.
Meanwhile, in the 32 games he appeared in the big league, Simmons put up 6.1 points, dished out 2.1 assists, and grabbed 1.6 rebounds over 32 games, including 12 starts.
Article Continues BelowSimmons has struggled with his shot in the pros, as evidenced by his 42.3 field goal percentage in a Grizzlies uniform. That’s likely among the top reasons why the team decided to release Simmons, who also lacked a decent outside touch, making just 28.2 percent of his attempts from distance in the NBA.
It’s not the end of the line for Simmons’ NBA career, though. He’s still just 21, so a team out there is likely going to take a minor gamble on him.
Simmons’ best game last season came during a 130-117 win at home over the Detroit Pistons on Apr. 8, when he dropped 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the floor, including a 4-for-7 line from the 3-point area.