Before the Philadelphia 76ers went ahead and snagged a couple of players to fill the team’s needs at the power forward position, you would be surprised at the considerable number of fans who were lobbying for the front office to consider reuniting with Ben Simmons.
Simmons, who split time lastseason playing for the Nets and the Clippers, remains available in the open market. After a string of forgettable years in the league, there exists legitimate doubt if another team would express willingness to take a flier on the former All-Star. But for now, suffice to say that the former 76ers star would have a very difficult time convincing a ball club that he can still function as a difference-maker.
However, thanks to a recent rumor, the 76ers may not even need to toy with the dangerous idea of bringing Simmons back. According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knicks have checked in on the three-time All-Star, expressing interest in taking him back to New York after an uneventful stint in Brooklyn.
Good for them. But also, good for the 76ers.
The 76ers may see the tempting Ben Simmons foreclosed after rumored Knicks interest
The idea of Simmons as a role player still piques the interest of some people. He does represent a unique archetype as a jumbo playmaker who can defend all positions. That, however, has ironically become his worst quality due to the concessions in his game that he imposed on himself.
The former first overall pick has become a passing dummy offensively, completely lacking any intent to be a factor on offense aside from being a playmaker. He still has an allergic reaction to the concept of taking a field goal attempt, and as everyone knows, he has a complete lack of presence on the perimeter, requiring teams to tailor lineups just to accommodate his skill set.
Of course, that is not feasible for most teams, especially the 76ers. Philly already lacks reliable three-point shooters, and adding Simmons would further clog the lane.
Admittedly, Simmons is still a good defensive asset. But really, that’s the only noteworthy aspect on his game, especially when you take into account the fact that his injury concerns double that of, say, Joel Embiid’s.
Put simply, the 76ers make no sense whatsoever as a landing spot for the now-journeyman. Simmons would be a difficult piece to integrate for any squad, but if the Knicks would still want to try their luck with him, then no one should stop them.
The Philadelphia 76ers have more pressing needs at this juncture, and after their recent moves (coupled with New York’s rumored interest), the possibility of Ben Simmons returning to the franchise is now virtually zero, although that may have actually been the case all along.