The Cavalry
Ben Simmons is on his way back, fans. Not to show up. He’s not coming back to participate. Simmons is on his way to take over the team, to learn and then lead. It’s his burden as the top draft pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.
Much like Joel Embiid, he’s coming to the NBA to prove he deserves the hype.
And he’s coming in as the point guard.
Air Alamo
Can he do it? Offensively, in a heart beat. He is a field general, able to roll offensively plays, place the ball into the hands of the shooter just as he lines up for the open shot. He’s all that, at 6-foot-10. But some fear he cannot guard a point guard. With the exception of Gerald Henderson, I’m not certain many on the roster can. Simmons cannot do significantly worse than some defensive play I’ve witnessed so far.
Upside
But the upside is that he may not need to sit in his opponent’s back pocket. His height forms a formidable barrier, while his wingspan gives him an advantage at reaching in to disrupt play. He can cover a wider swath of passing lanes, and his natural passing ability gives him better anticipation.
Often compared to LeBron James, Simmons has huge shoes to fill even as a rookie. LeBron scored 20.9 points per game, delivered 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. Can Simmons deliver that much? Perhaps not, as he will be joining the team for the last half of the season.
In summer league, Simmons averaged 12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. While summer league is not an NBA season, it’s the best example of Simmons’ play for the 76ers. His production would be a boost to the team in a number of critical categories.