The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Ranking every player on the Sixers’ 2021 roster

By Christopher Kline

Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Ben Simmons, Sixers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Ben Simmons, Sixers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

PG. Philadelphia 76ers. Ben Simmons. 2. player. 93.

Ranking every player on the Sixers roster — 2. Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons perpetually comes in second in our Ranking the Sixers roundtable and honestly it seems like this will be his indefinite position on the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster. Joel Embiid has played at an MVP-caliber level this season and is emerging as a top 5 player in the entire NBA. Embiid’s stock continues to rise as Simmons more or less remains relatively stagnant.

We all know what we get with Ben Simmons. He is an uber-athletic, mesmerizing talent who constantly leaves us wanting more, specifically in regard to his shooting and aggressiveness. Yet what his offensive game lacks, he makes up on the defensive end of the floor. Simmons should be the Defensive Player of the Year this season and his defensive skillset is so unique in that he can guard all 5 positions on the floor. His 6’10” frame and physicality allows him to guard opposing big men in the post and his length and speed makes him an elite perimeter defender.

Simmons seems to understand his role on this team as the second-best player and has adjusted comfortably. The Sixers organization surrounded Simmons with knock down shooters this offseason in Seth Curry and Danny Green and that has taken some of the pressure off him on the offensive end. For this team to succeed in the playoffs, Ben does not necessarily need to start shooting threes or take shots outside of the lane. It is more important to the team’s success that he plays aggressive and attacks the rim where he scores most of his points.

If Simmons shows flashes of the player who scored a career-high 42 points in the absence of Joel Embiid against the Utah Jazz in February, this team has a real chance at the NBA title this year.

— Jonathan Geib