3. He will make an All-NBA team
Simmons was thoroughly in contention for third team All-NBA last season, receiving 36 total votes. Only three players (Chris Paul, Rudy Gobert and Kyrie Irving) received more votes and were left off the official teams.
A lot of All-NBA voting, right or wrong, boils down to counting stats and importance to team success. Those are categories that most voters tend to prioritize, and Simmons should find himself ranking highly in both.
Last season, Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while playing stellar defense. Those numbers figure to go up next season. He was also the driving force behind their late-season surge, helping the Sixers secure home-court advantage in round one.
Simmons is widely billed as a transcendent talent, and for good reason. He’s one of the most impactful individual facilitators in the league, passing players open and transforming the Sixers into a dynamic transition team.
If Markelle Fultz returns to form, the Sixers will be able to unlock even more from Simmons on the offensive end. The room for growth is there, and he’s already one of the best point guards (and, again, players) in the Eastern Conference.
Barring unexpected regression, the Sixers will be competing for a top-three seed and Simmons will be at the forefront of their success. It’s easy to picture him making his All-NBA debut.