6. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid
I know a lot of people say that these two are not the perfect fit for one another and I would have to agree. Now while that may be true at the moment, there is no reason to doubt that they can each figure it out. They’re both still very young and have a lot of room to grow.
Ben Simmons is a jump shot away from being an MVP-calibre player. Not only would a semi-reliable outside shot improve the Sixers’ spacing, but it would also allow Simmons to operate more like a point guard in the halfcourt – at the moment, he plays more like a traditional big in the halfcourt which often results in a clogged paint area when he and Embiid are in the game together.
As for Joel, he vaulted himself into MVP territory last season and the scariest part is that he can still continue to develop and improve. Health aside (that will always be a major question mark for Embiid), he still has some work to do on his conditioning, passing ability, and overall court awareness. Unlike Simmons, Joel can shoot threes but he would benefit from a slight uptick in efficiency from out there (he’s hovering around 30 percent so far in his career). If he can make somewhere between 33-36 percent of his triples, defenses will have to respect him more out there which will only serve to open up the lane more for one of the most imposing offensive forces we’ve seen in a while.
On defense, both guys are excellent. Embiid is one of the best paint protectors and low-post defenders in the league and – presuming health – will be in the defensive player of the year discussion for many years to come. If he can maybe shed a few pounds and work on his conditioning, this will likely lead to better mobility on that end, making him a) more switchable and b) more capable of closing out to shooters and covering perimeter-centered bigs (guys like Karl-Anthony Towns come to mind).
Simmons has outstanding defensive versatility, can switch one through five and has great instincts and anticipation. If he can tighten up his footwork and showcase more consistent effort, he can quickly become one of the best all-around defenders we’ve got.
Assuming health for Embiid and at least some noticeable progress in the way of Simmons’ jump shot, then there is no reason why Philly can’t compete for a finals berth next year.