Philadelphia 76ers: 4 improvements they need to make this offseason

The Philadelphia 76ers must figure out the Simmons-Embiid dynamic

While Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons form one of the top dynamic duos in the NBA, there are a few minor adjustments they need to make in order to further elevate their game in order for them to transcend.

Simmons has everything a head coach desires in a point guard; excellent court vision, impeccable passing skills, good size, and lockdown defense. He also has the ability o get to the basket with his incredible handles and can play any position on the floor if needed. The struggles with Simmons’s shooting has been well documented and is the only flaw keeping him from becoming a complete player.

If Simmons could just develop a nice mid-range jump shot, his scoring average would increase dramatically while opposing teams will find it difficult to defend him. He could even possibly develop a bank shot similar to the one Tim Duncan used or maybe even a fade away would do him some justice. He doesn’t necessarily need to add a 3-point shot to his arsenal, but if he does and able is able to knock them down consistently, he will be even more dangerous as an offensive weapon.

On the other hand with Embiid, Rivers is inheriting a classic throwback center which is a rarity in today’s NBA whose players are more finesse and more graceful now rather than physical and tough. Embiid is a great two-way player as well as an impeccable rim protector who can score in bunches. He is magnificent in drop coverage on defense and superb at defending the pick and roll.

Embiid is an excellent rebounder who physically overwhelms opposing big men and can be a matchup problem in isolation. He gets to the free-throw line consistently and is virtually unstoppable whenever he gains momentum towards the basket. There are a few things that  Rivers will need Embiid to clean up. He must improve his subpar passing as he gets careless with the ball at times. He also should look for his teammates more often, especially when he draws double teams.

Embiid has a bad habit of dropping his head when he gets the ball and makes up his mind to attack as he often misses wide-open teammates on the perimeter as a result.  Embiid has the ability to knock down 3’s, but if he is going to shoot it from downtown, he has to improve his percentage. His career average is 32 percent while attempting 3.6 attempts per game.

He could also improve his value playing off the ball by slashing to the lane and setting more screens instead of being idle without the ball in his hands. Even though the 76ers run their offense through him, he can be more of a threat by improving his playmaking capacity and IQ on offense.