1. He will average around a triple-double
Averaging a triple-double is extremely rare. Russell Westbrook has done it two seasons in a row. Before him, the last person to accomplish that feat was Oscar Robertson. Not many players can put themselves in a position to obtain those numbers. Simmons might be one of the select few.
Simmons has the unique advantage of being both an elite playmaker and an elite rebounder. He’s already one of the best offensive and defensive rebounders at his position, ranking in the 100th and 98th percentile respectively, according to Cleaning The Glass.
Last season he averaged 8.1 rebounds in 33.7 minutes per game. If his second season comes with an increase in minutes, that number will naturally increase. Rebounding will be the most difficult stat for Simmons to achieve, but he did average 9.6 per game over the season’s last 20 games. That was playing fewer minutes than his regular season average.
In the assist department, Simmons showed more than enough to suggest he can average 10+ per contest. The return of a healthy Markelle Fultz could interrupt some of his playmaking opportunities, but Brett Brown has made it clear that Simmons is, and will continue to be, the Sixers’ offensive hub.
You could argue that Simmons’ assist totals don’t do his passing chops justice. He assisted on 36.2 percent of his teammates’ made shots when on the floor last season, with plenty of potential assists that went unrewarded.
Over the season’s final 20 games, Simmons averaged 10.6 assists per contest. He was a triple-double magnet as well, putting together six over that span. It goes without saying that Simmons will accomplish the necessary scoring totals.
Given the rarity of season-long triple-double averages, Simmons probably won’t accomplish that feat next season. He is uniquely capable of doing so, though. And under the right circumstances, the Sixers may put him in a position to make a run at those numbers. It will at least be close.