I am ready to take all heat from any Philadelphia 76ers fans for this one, but sometimes the truth hurts. This team, how it is currently built, can not and will not win a championship. There are a few things wrong with how GM Elton Brand has constructed this team, but the biggest issue facing the 76ers is one man: Ben Simmons. I know what y’all are thinking: Garrett, how can he be the issue? Didn’t you guys at Vendetta list him in your top 10 point guards? We did. Let me explain.
Let’s start with the obvious: Ben Simmons can’t shoot. I mean, at all. If he is standing outside of the paint, hold your breath. Again, I can hear the critics now. Garrett, he is a career 55% field goal percent shooter. Take a closer look. For his career, between 3-10 feet, he is shooting 40% from the field. From 10-16 feet, Ben Simmons is shooting at a 29% clip. And we all know that he has never hit a 3 pointer in his career, which in of itself is embarrassing. From the free-throw line is somehow even worse, at 58%. For reference, Shaquille O’Neal shot 52%. HE IS A CENTER. Playing in an era where bigs didn’t score outside of the paint. It also goes to show his work ethic because you think the tool available to a guy like Ben Simmons, he would put in the work in an offseason to better his shot. For a point guard, these stats should be very concerning. Which takes me to my next point.
Ben Simmons is not playing the right position. When you think of point guards, you think of a guy who should be able to knock down a shot, distribute the ball effectively and keep turnovers to a minimum. Simmons does none of these things. Simmons averages 3.4 turnovers per game and a mere 7 assists, putting him 13th in the league behind guys like Ricky Rubio and Devonte’ Graham. But the bigger issue with him at point guard is that the offense goes through him most possessions, which means fewer touches for the second-best Center in the league in Joel Embiid. This team is already very long as it is, meaning there isn’t a lot of perimeter scoring. Embiid is a proven scorer, a career 24ppg scorer. With Simmons out of the lineup, that’s more touches for Embiid and whoever they trade for on the wings. Or maybe, stay with me here, an actual point guard. But I digress.
Many people pegged Ben Simmons as the guy who could take the throne from Lebron James. Hell, many people thought James would sign with Philly last offseason before taking his talents to LA. He would’ve been able to mold him into a monster. But instead, Philadelphia has a log jam in their offense, and really their future. What do you do with a jam? You move the object causing the issue. if the 76ers want to be taken seriously and make a deep playoff run, they must trade Ben Simmons. Don’t believe me? Come back to me in June when the 76ers fail to make an NBA Finals again.
