Ben Simmons might be the most scrutinized superstar in the NBA right now. Despite making 3 All-Star Teams and 2 All-Defensive Teams by the age of 25, the Australian is not getting the praise he feels he deserves. Simmons is one of the best defenders in the NBA and has helped the 76ers become one of the best teams in the NBA through his playmaking as a 6’10” point guard.
- The 76ers Retool For The Future
- Ben Simmons Can Match Up With The Best Players In The NBA
- The Warriors Win A Championship With Simmons
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But one aspect seems to always bring Simmons down in the public: his shooting. Simmons might be the worst shooting point guard we have ever seen and is coming off a postseason with Philadelphia where he shot a putrid 34.2% from the free-throw line. That makes him a worse free-throw shooter than Shaquille O’Neal.
The 76ers are in win-now mode and are doing their best to trade Simmons for another player that can play better alongside Joel Embiid. Simmons might not be the fit for the 76ers, but he can be the final piece for the Golden State Warriors to win a championship as soon as next year. The Warriors are a great team as things stand, but Ben Simmons could take them over the top as the most complete team in the NBA. Here is the trade package that the Warriors could offer in exchange for Ben Simmons, and how this deal could affect both teams.
Trade Package: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman for Ben Simmons
The 76ers Retool For The Future
The Philadelphia 76ers have been a championship contender ever since Joel Embiid became one of the best big men in the league and the team forked out max money to Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. Philadelphia have been a solid team, but they have not made an NBA Finals since the Allen Iverson days despite having one of the most talented rosters in the league.
It is quite clear that the duo of Embiid and Simmons does not work because the latter is limited to scoring inside the paint whenever he needs to take a shot. For a 7’0″ center like Embiid who draws a ton of attention, Philadelphia need to find a better shooter to place on the floor. More importantly, Philadelphia need their second-best player on the floor during crunch time and that has not worked out in their favor.
Philadelphia immediately improve their floor spacing by acquiring Andrew Wiggins and also find big man depth in possibly a future All-Star in James Wiseman. Philadelphia hang their hats on defense and Simmons is a big part of that, but Wiggins and Wiseman can fill that role on the court quite well while providing more consistent offense. While Philadelphia won’t win the title next year with this deal, it gives them a base to build upon as the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton start coming into their own.
Ben Simmons Can Match Up With The Best Players In The NBA
Ben Simmons is a tremendous defensive player, standing 6’10” with the ability to defend the best players on contending teams. That will allow Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson the space to focus on their offensive game because the team will go as far as the shooters guide them.
Ben Simmons can match up exceptionally well with Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Forwards are becoming the main reason for their team’s success, and having a defensive stopper to match up with them is key for the Warriors.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are both smaller than the best forwards in the league and neither will have much success in deterring them. Simmons has the length, speed, and height to contest the shots of Durant and Kawhi while protecting the rim when LeBron and Giannis attack. There is no way for the Golden State Warriors to win a championship without matching up with the top-4 forwards in the game, and Ben Simmons would give the Warriors an even playing field on both ends of the floor.
The Warriors Win A Championship With Simmons
As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. While Simmons is not the answer for Philadelphia because of Joel Embiid, the Australian superstar is absolutely the answer for the Golden State Warriors. There may be doubts about how Simmons and Draymond Green can coexist, but considering how well the Warriors organization has done in managing egos in the past, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Ben Simmons, at 6’10”, is one of the most gifted passers in the NBA right now. Instead of feeding the likes of Seth Curry and Danny Green for jumpers, he could have the privilege of setting up Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. With Simmons on the floor, the Warriors have another All-Star caliber player to bring up the floor alongside Stephen Curry or Draymond Green. Simmons is already a one-man fast break and having the two greatest shooters ever by his side spells danger for the NBA.
Simmons also adds another player who can defend and his partnership with Green and Thompson on that end would be tough to score against. When looking around the league, no team has what Golden State can field on the floor. The Nets have an incredible assortment of scorers, but they will not be able to defend like Simmons, Green, and Thompson can. The Lakers have a great team, but Russell Westbrook is not a natural fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Finally, the Bucks cannot shoot like the Warriors can with Simmons feeding Curry and Thompson the ball. Ben Simmons can be himself and do what he does best because only one team can surround him with the players suited to his playing style and that is the Golden State Warriors.
