Philadelphia 76ers: 3 reasons why Ben Simmons will fail as Point Guard
Just when you think the Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t make any more crazy decisions, they prove us wrong.
Head Coach Brett Brown has gone on record as saying he will play rookie Ben Simmons at point guard when he comes back from his injuries. At first glance the news is encouraging, for the simple fact that the 76ers are finally speaking in terms of Simmons health and as if he’s a part of the team. But, Brown’s words are a slap in the face to those that wish to see Simmons succeed and a team finally make a playoff push. Brown said he drafted Simmons with the plan to use him at the position but he’s not ready.
As good as Simmons is a player here are 3 reasons why he will fail as a PG in the NBA.
Defense:
This is the same reason Lamar Odom or Anthony Davis is not at the position. Simmons has a handle but to say he’s on the level of Odom is ridiculous. Davis started out as a PG but a growth spurt forced him into the low post. While he can still handle the ball like a guard, it’s the defensive end where players that size will have problems.
[embedit snippet=”2″]There’s no way Simmons, with his height, can get low enough to keep Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard or Stephen Curry in front of him. And if they happen to blow past him, his first instinct will be to reach, causing unnecessary fouls. The 76ers are in desperate need of a PG but to put Simmons in this position shows a lack of basketball I.Q.
Inability To Get To The Rim:
This may seem like this should be a strength for Simmons but it’s actually a negative. Simmons is 6-10 and the majority of the guards he will face on average is 6-4 and smaller. If Simmons gets the ball at the top of the key and decides to drive to the rim, he’s in a world of trouble.
It’s the same with his defense. His height alone will cause him to turn the ball over numerous times. With his height and wingspan, Simmons will have what is called a high dribble. A dribble that high against smaller players will result in steal opportunities for his defenders. If he tries to get to the basket, all the smaller defender has to do is step in front and draw the charge from the taller Simmons.
No Perimeter Game.
Not all PGs are great shooters but the All-Star players can still knock down 18-20 footers with consistency. This is where Simmons will have his issues. Summer league is just a player getting their timing down as most games are freestyle. Simmons shot poorly and that was the biggest knock on him entering the NBA. Now, Brown is asking him to play setup man and distributor, plus be able to create his own shot off the dribble. That’s a bit much for a player that shot a little over 30 percent this summer. If he cannot hit the three-point shot, especially with Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor in the post kicking the ball back out, the team is no better off than having Bayless on the floor.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
