The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Brett Brown Needs Ben Simmons Return

By Bret Stuter

Jan 3, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) reacts with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and guard Nik Stauskas (11) after hitting the game winning shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 93-91. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) reacts with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and guard Nik Stauskas (11) after hitting the game winning shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 93-91. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Off Balance

Imagine an NFL team drafting the number one quarterback in the draft, only to play the first two months without him.  You see, draft order in professional sports are designed to balance the talent levels. Bad teams get top talent. Best teams get riskier talent.

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Without Ben Simmons, the burden of the team has been shouldered by workhorse rookie Joel Embiid. Embiid has done everything asked of him, and then some.  But the team’s upside does not run through Embiid. The offense does. The defense does. But when we are talking the unique versatility that will take this team to the next level, we are talking Ben Simmons.

You see, the Philadelphia 76ers have pieces now, pieces that could fit into a championship team. We know that one cornerstone is that of Joel Embiid as anchor in the front court.

But Ben Simmons is the team’s dispatch. From that moment he arrives, he will gear up to run the plays, direct traffic, distribute the ball, set the defense, and even set the pace for the team. Some players will be able to keep up. Some won’t.  With the grand experimentation of compatibility with Joel Embiid, everything will get thrown out and reset when Simmons arrives.