Ben Simmons Is A Perfect Compliment to Jahlil Okafor

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Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons poses with his jersey during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Let the Simshine In

In two games of the 2016 NBA Summer League, Ben Simmons made a commanding statement about what he will bring to the team. No, he won’t score 40 points on average. But his passes are so crisp and on target that his teammates might.

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Center Richaun Holmes averaged 15.0 points per game, and teammate power forward Christian Wood averaged 18.7 points per game. While both players no doubt contributed to their production by training vigorously this off-season, they were helped immensely by the presence of Ben Simmons, whose 5.5 assists per game led the Utah summer league. That number could have ended much higher, but some spot-on passes simply ended up in the hands of a player who did not make the basket.

Now place Ben Simmons on the roster with Jahlil Okafor for 82 games. What do you think can happen to the team as a result? Well, with little help from teammates, Okafor was able to generate his own scoring opportunities with double and sometimes triple teaming in the post. With Ben Simmons, that won’t happen.

Simmons has a knack for finding the open player. Scoff if you choose to believe that an open Robert Covington on a catch and shoot will not score 40 percent or better from the perimeter, but look at the results of Holmes and Wood so far. Holmes was a 5.6 points per game scorer last season, Wood was 3.6 points per game. Does summer league exaggerate the impact? Of course. But Jahlil Okafor was already sinking baskets with no help.

A post game with Simmons feeding Okafor catch and shoots at the post will be an incredible upgrade and boost to Jah’s already impressive offensive display.

Next: Beating the Odds