The Sixer Sense
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Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons Not Playing in Summer League Isn’t Surprising

By Christopher Kline

Jul 9, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) yells from the court during an NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. Los Angeles won the game 70-69. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) yells from the court during an NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. Los Angeles won the game 70-69. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Brett Brown said that neither Ben Simmons nor Joel Embiid are likely to play in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Summer League games this offseason — and that shouldn’t be a surprise.

When joining the 97.5 Fanatic Morning Show, Brett Brown was candid in giving his expectations as to whether or not Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid would play for the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Summer League squad.

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    • "I don’t think we’ve announced [an official statement], but I think everybody should bunker in to hear that news [that Simmons and Embiid won’t play this summer]. I don’t think anything’s become official. But we’re fine with the work these guys are putting in. People could walk into our gym even now and see the attendance of our players.”"

    While this may come as a disappointment to those hoping the two would spend some time on the court together before NBA action kicked up, the decision — barring an unforeseen change — shouldn’t come as a surprise.

    With both Simmons and Embiid returning from injuries that kept them out for the entirety of last season and 51 games respectively, the risks behind running them against Summer League competition simply outweigh the potential benefit. Embiid has already played — and dominated — at the NBA level, while Simmons has had an entire season to work through the ebbs and flows of his budding game with the Sixers’ training staff.

    Both are used to the rigor of NBA practices and the protocol game-in and game-out, which is a hefty portion of the reasoning behind Summer League as it stands.

    Perhaps the biggest reason, though, is that the Sixers already have an understanding of where Embiid and Simmons fit into the rotation. Summer League ball is often utilized as a measuring stick of sorts, seeing where certain rookies stand in their developmental curves and judging their potential rotational niche as a result. Neither Simmons nor Embiid need that.

    Joel has already proven himself to be among the better centers in today’s league when healthy, while Simmons — regardless of whether or not he’s officially labeled as the point guard — figures to be the head of Brett Brown’s offensive attack. The system with run through Simmons, while Embiid is their go-to option offensively and their mainspring on the defensive end.

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    Players whose roles are not only determined, but featured in the team’s plans for the foreseeable future don’t need Summer League action in the same manner as other, less developed rookies and sophomores.

    This is, in short, boils down to a product of prior development and the calculation of risk versus reward. Embiid and, to a lesser extent, Simmons already have NBA experience, with the former already a game-proven stud. And, given such a status, the potential misfortune that aligns with their prior injury history makes the prospects of overexerting the two this summer a legitimate concern — and something the Sixers want to avoid entirely.

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    Sentiments supporting a B.S./Embiid combo in Vegas this summer are understandable. Seeing them work to and fro is something that many fans want to see, and it could be valuable insight into their chemistry on the floor and where that combination stands in regards to it’s development. It genuinely comes down to the risks overshadowing the rewards, though. It’s not worth it.