Simmons for Harden? Stop the Nonsense
With or without a jump shot, Ben Simmons isn’t someone the Sixers should be anxiously looking to get rid of, whether it’s for James Harden or not.
Simmons is a crucial piece to a current and future championship push for the Sixers.
The 24-year-old Point Guard provides a skillful repertoire only a few players in NBA history could replicate. The 6’10”, 240-pound frame paired alongside outstanding ball skills and athleticism generates the potential of being the best player in the league now and in the future.
While Simmons’ offensive game has slowly developed, his defense has vastly improved, leading the league in steals (115) and 2nd in deflections (216) last year, while also providing defensive versatility by guarding any position and most team’s #1 offensive player.
In Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors, Simmons guarded either Fred VanVleet or Pascal Siakam on 30 possessions and held them to 3-of-13 (27%) and 1-6 (16%) from 3. Simmons’ defense on Siakam in the 4th quarter was significant in the comeback win.
As we look way ahead at potential playoff matchups, Ben Simmons will be vital to winning the East.
With the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks as the current favorites to win the East, the defensive strategy against Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes more manageable with a defender of Simmons’ stature.
Simmons is arguably the best option in the league when it comes to guarding Kevin Durant. Simmons and Durant share the same height and weight, allowing Ben to contest Durant’s high release. Simultaneously, Simmons also has the athleticism and lateral quickness to limit Durant’s deadly off the dribble skill set.
While Joel Embiid has done very well defending Giannis Antetokounmpo in the past, do the Sixers feel comfortable putting Embiid on Giannis in a 7-game series? Giannis is a handful to defend and could tire out Embiid throughout the series where we may not see Embiid play well in the most crucial moments of a big playoff series. While Simmons has not found a lot of success defending Giannis in the past, the Sixers can throw multiple big bodies at Giannis in a 7-game playoff series.
Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images
Let’s say we swap Ben Simmons for James Harden, and we’re playing the Nets in a playoff series. Do the Sixers have a chance of limiting KD with Tobias Harris, Mike Scott, and Matisse Thybulle defending him? Highly doubtful.
With Simmons guarding KD, the Sixers might have the best chance of defeating the Nets in a playoff series, who in the early part of the season look like a potential Eastern Conference juggernaut.
Whether Ben Simmons’ offensive game develops this season or not, the Sixers’ best chance to win the east is with Ben Simmons starting at the 1 and defending the conference’s best players.
He may not be as dynamic offensively as James Harden, but his all-around talent is significant to a title push for the Sixers now and in the future.
Featured Image: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images
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