Sixers: 3 potential starting lineup combos without Ben Simmons

Potential Sixers starting lineup without Ben Simmons No. 1

1. Tyrese Maxey
2. Seth Curry
3. Danny Green
4. Tobias Harris
5. Joel Embiid

This is the simple plug-and-play. Ben Simmons was the Sixers’ starting “point guard,” so why not replace him with the next man up in the depth chart. There have been questions asked about whether or not Tyrese Maxey can handle a starter’s workload, but he has fans in the organization and around the city. His arc of improvement as a rookie — with no Summer League or training camp to get him prepared — was extraordinary.

This is probably the ideal set-up offensively. Maxey is easily the most dynamic ball-handler on the team. Without Ben Simmons’ facilitation skills, Philadelphia will need someone else to set up the offense and push the tempo. Maxey is, frankly, the only player on the roster who can fill that role.

Maxey’s rim pressure is elite. His first step can rival anyone in the NBA, and he’s twitchy with the ball in hand, using crossovers and subtle changes in speed to keep defenders on their heels. His ability to get into the paint, draw fouls, and kick out to shooters makes him a useful offensive weapon — and the kind of lead guard Philadelphia has struggled to find over the years.

For Maxey, the main concern is defense. He improved last season and earned real playoff minutes because of it, but is he good enough to handle starting point guards for 30+ minutes a night? That’s pretty doubtful. The Sixers’ defense will take a step back without Simmons regardless of who replaces him in the starting five, but Maxey makes it especially tough. Especially when he’s playing next to Seth Curry (another 6-foot-2 defensive liability) and the increasingly slow-footed Danny Green.

Joel Embiid is an elite defensive anchor and can clean up a lot of messes with his paint protection. That said, if the Sixers have no good on-ball defenders on the floor, even Green’s excellent communication skills and team defense will not save them. The Sixers’ perimeter defense in this scenario is extremely leaky, which dramatically lowers their regular season floor.

Of course, there is no ideal outcome here. If Simmons holds out into the regular season, the Sixers will have to make the best of poor circumstances. This lineup does give them the best chance at a “normal” offense around Embiid. Maxey is a great slasher, Curry and Green are elite spot-up shooters, and the star duo of Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris get space to do their thing.