The Philadelphia 76ers ideal option at power forward is Ben Simmons on a buyout from the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets already unloaded Mikal Bridges in exchange for a boatload of future draft picks. They are in no position to win now or in the near future.
Veteran players, including Ben Simmons, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Bojan Bogdanovic, Dennis Schroder, and backup center Day’Ron Sharpe, are all potential trade candidates to monitor over the next few months.
While the 76ers are reportedly interested in Dorian Finney-Smith, they would be better off focusing on Ben Simmons returning to Philly after a Brooklyn buyout of his expiring $40.3 million contract.
Before you think I’m completely insane, consider the following…
Australian native, Benjamin David Simmons, the disgraced “Chosen One” and savior of basketball in Philadelphia, is currently in the gym preparing for another thrilling season of NBA Basketball.
Eight years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft out of LSU. He took home Rookie Of The Year honors in 2018, made his first All-Star team in 2019, and brought home the All-Defensive First Team & All-NBA honors in 2020.
Ben Simmons embodied the epitome of a modern basketball player, blending size, speed, skill, and intelligence in a way that seems almost otherworldly – something that the NBA had never seen before on the court.
Until this very day, only Victor Wembanyama has managed to mesmerize basketball fans to a level that exceeded the allure of Ben Simmons.
Simmons’ unique ability to explode towards the rim with the power and grace of an Australian Kangaroo while finishing at the rim with thunderous dunks that would electrify the crowd was simply unmatched.
His speed and agility enabled him to guard multiple positions effectively, disrupting opponents’ offensive schemes with his quick hands and defensive prowess.
Despite his size, Simmons handles the ball with exceptional finesse, driving past defenders with ease and executing crossover dribbles that leave them grasping at air. His extraordinary court vision allows him to see plays develop before they happen, making precision passes that thread through the tightest of defenses.
“The Fresh Prince” of basketball, holds a rare combination of natural, God-given abilities that set him apart on the court. Standing at 6’10” with a wingspan that stretches over seven feet!
Ben Simmons possesses the physique of a power forward but the agility and vision of a point guard.
Ben Simmons, now 28 years old, has only played 57 games over the past three seasons and because of that, his contract and overall trade value is basically next-to-nothing.
Simmons played in just 42 games in 2022-23 before he was shut down in March because of a nerve impingement in his lower back. That injury returned just six games into this season and limited Simmons to only 15 games, including a stretch of 38 consecutive missed games.
The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp next season and when healthy, he has a proven track record of competing at an All-Star and First Team All-Defense level.
Ben Simmons considers Philadelphia as his second home while Joel Embiid recently labeled him ‘the one that got away’
The Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons were unfortunately, misunderstood for years. No one within the organization along with Simmons himself were willing to fail, think long-term, and be misunderstood for long periods of time.
Sound familiar? It should. This is exactly what Sam Hinkie predicted in his manifesto that was written a year before Simmons arrived in Philadelphia.
The necessity of innovation
Investing in disruptive innovation doesn’t ferment misunderstanding, it necessitates it. Jeff Bezos says it this way:
“There are a few prerequisites to inventing…You have to be willing to fail. You have to be willing to think long-term. You have to be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.”
A yearning for innovation requires real exploration. It requires a persistent search to try (and fail) to move your understanding forward with a new tool, a new technique, a new insight. Sadly, the first innovation often isn’t even all that helpful, but may well provide a path to ones that are.
This is an idea that Steven Johnson of Where Good Ideas Come From popularized called the “adjacent possible.” Where finding your way through a labyrinth of ignorance requires you to first open a door into a room of understanding, one that by its very existence has new doors to new rooms with deeper insights lurking behind them.
In most endeavors, it’s fine to be content to woodshed until you get something near perfect. You want that to be you. Grit matters. But it won’t be long until some innovation makes all that effort newly obsolete. You want that to be you, too.”
With the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons averaged 16/8/7 over 275 games.
2017-18: 33.7 MPG | 15.8 PPG | 8.1 RPG | 8.2 APG | 1.7 SPG | 6.7 FGM | 12.3 FGA | 54.5 FG%
2018-19: 34.2 MPG | 16.9 PPG | 8.8 RPH | 7.7 APG | 1.4 SPG | 6.8 FGM | 12.2 FGA | 56.3 FG%
2019-20: 35.4 MPG | 16.4 PPG | 7.8 RPG | 8.0 APG | 2.1 SPG | 6.6 FGM | 11.4 FGA | 58 FG%
2020-21: 32.4 MPG | 14.3 | 7.2 RPG | 6.9 APG | 1.6 SPG | 5.6 FGM | 10.1 FGA | 55.7 FG%
If the shoe fits…
Ah – and in the playoffs, over three appearances with the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons averaged 13.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.5 assists over 34 games.
Ben Simmons playing his natural position at power forward and can serve as a lockdown defender anywhere on the court while serving as an elite facilitator is EXACTLY the type of player that the Philadelphia 76ers need with the way their roster is currently constructed.
- PG: Tyrese Maxey
- SG: Kelly Oubre Jr
- SF: Paul George
- PF: Ben Simmons
- C: Joel Embiid
No, I’m not saying that Ben Simmons needs to “develop” his game and turn into a “shooter”. I’m also not saying that Ben Simmons should really be any type of offensive option for this 76ers team at all.
The 76ers can rely on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and hell, even Kelly Oubre Jr to get buckets. Simmons wouldn’t even be the fourth option on offense – unless he’s bringing in a rebound and dashing down the basketball court with Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain by his side.
The 76ers are missing is exactly the type of skillset that Ben Simmons possesses already and returning to Philly to finally win an NBA Title with a team that doesn’t rely on him would be the perfect storybook ending for a player that was once loved by all.
The 76ers desperately need a player that can fulfill a specific role. Ben Simmons is now that player. There’s no denying it. The only people that continue to deny it are the ones who are emotionally damaged individuals who are too scared to put the past behind them.
As for Ben Simmons, he’s ready to return to Philadelphia.
“I’ll always have love for Philly. People always ask me like, ‘If you were to get traded again, where would you want it to be?’ I always say, ‘Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me.’ And in time, you learn and grow as people. I don’t really have anything bad to say about Philly. It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is.”
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Dumbest article in the history of the world.
Thanks for reading honey 🍯