The Philadelphia 76ers have officially changed Ben S immons’ position in practice. Here’s why it matters.
Ben Simmons has been a self-proclaimed point guard since he entered the NBA. As the Philadelphia 76ers gear up for the 23-year-old’s third postseason run, however, it appears his position will officially change.
Brett Brown recently announced that Simmons has played exclusively at power forward in Orlando practices. A significant bit of news, as it drastically changes Simmons’ role in the halfcourt offense. It has been a long time coming, and with Shake Milton on the rise, now is as good a time as any to make the change.
The Sixers have long sought solutions to the conundrum of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Both are top-20 players, yet neither complements the other’s skill set. The answer was always going to involve Simmons buying into a more off-ball role. All indications are that Simmons has indeed bought in.
As Philadelphia (and Simmons) adjust to a new look, a lot is bound to change on both sides of the ball. This single positional change has a bevy of potential implications, each as important as the next. Here are five to monitor as the season rapidly approaches.