Ben Simmons doesn’t realize the Philadelphia 76ers are the best fit for him

The best fit for Ben Simmons is the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Most, if not all NBA fans and media members would be shocked if Ben Simmons plays for the Philadelphia 76ers ever again, and for good reason.

Since requesting a trade back in the summer and stating that he’d never suit up for Philly again, not much has changed.

The Sixers have yet to find a suitable trade partner for the former All-Star point guard and Simmons himself has yet to play one second of professional basketball this season.

The latest on this saga comes from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne who reported that Simmons is willing to sit out the entire season and wait until the summer for the Sixers to deal him.

Additionally, Simmons’s agent, Rich Paul, met with Daryl Morey — president of basketball operations — and Elton Brand — general manager — on Jan 12, 2022 to discuss Simmons’ status with the team, according to ESPN’s Adrain Wojnarowski.

Nothing new came from this meeting as the stances, from both sides, have remained unchanged: Simmons is no closer to playing this season and the Sixers are still determined to bring back an all-star caliber player in a trade.

With less than one month left until the trade deadline, Morey and his staff don’t have too much time left to decide on whether or not to pull the trigger on a potential deal.

It’s obvious to every basketball fan that Simmons will get his wish fulfilled at some point in the future. As mentioned previously, he’s even prepared to miss an entire season for this to happen. Let me repeat that because it’s not brought up enough. There is a real possibility that Ben Simmons, a 25-year old three-time all-star,  misses the ENTIRE season.

For a league that has seen its fair share of craziness, it has never seen something unfold quite like this.

Since his trade request back in the summer, fans, NBA analysts, writers and media members alike have been speculating where the best landing spot for Simmons could be.

At one point Golden State seemed like a possibility with Simmons playing a souped-up version of what Draymond Green provides them. Well, with how well Golden State is playing this season, that possibility is as good as dead. Plus, it was highly unlikely to happen in the first place with what the Sixers are asking for in return.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been heavily rumored to have interest in acquiring Simmons. With how poorly Portland has performed this season, many fans are clamoring for them to blow it up. A Simmons deal could kick-start their rebuild in a great way, yet nothing out of Portland has stated that they are willing to start a rebuild.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs are also teams that have been brought up in Simmons trade talks.

At this point, if your team hasn’t been mentioned on ESPN airways or a random blog post like this one as a potential landing spot for Simmons then is your team even in the NBA?

In all seriousness, the best fit for Ben Simmons is with the Philadelphia 76ers.

No, this is not a joke. The Sixers are truly the best fit for what Simmons can provide a team on the basketball court. Here’s why.

One of the biggest areas the Sixers have struggled this season is on the glass. Philly is dead last this season in rebounds per game at 42.1. They are also last in the league in offensive rebounds per game (8.4).

A season ago, with Simmons playing, the Sixers were 10th in rebounds per game. In fact, Philly has finished the season 10th or better in rebounds per game the past four seasons which just so happens to be the same amount of time that Simmons has played for Philly.

Simmons wouldn’t fix all their rebounding issues, but he certainly would provide a much-needed boost on the glass.

Through his four seasons in the NBA, Simmons has proven to be one of the best rebounding guards in the league. He has a career average of 8.1 boards per game and 1.9 offensive rebounds per game. In fact, Simmons has been either first or second in offensive rebounds per game amongst point guards every season of his career.

1.9 offensive rebounds may not sound like a lot but it’s the difference between the Sixers (last in orpg) and the Detroit Pistons (13th in orpg) this season. Those two extra possessions that Simmons would create if he was on the floor could be the difference between winning and losing. And could be the difference in Philly finishing the season as the seventh seed or the second seed.

Another area where Philly really struggles is on the offensive end of the floor.

Halfway through the season, the Sixers are 21st in points per game, 22nd in assists per game and last in field goal attempts per game. What does all this mean? It means that the Sixers don’t get out much in transition. They like to set up their offense in the halfcourt and slow down the pace of the game. So far, it’s worked for them quite well actually.

Philly is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-18. However, come playoff time where every team’s weakness is magnified ten times, the Sixers are going to need to be able to play both ways if they want to advance. Simmons would allow them to do that.

Since he first stepped on an NBA court as a rookie, Simmons has been one of the best offensive threats in transition. Like LeBron and Giannis, he’s an unstoppable force in the open court. When he’s got a full head of steam, nobody in the league can really stop him. Plus, he’s also one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He’s exceptional at creating open looks for his teammates and getting them in the best positions to succeed.

Just a season ago it was the Sixers who had the best record in the East and the best statical five mane lineup in Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Danny Green, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid. So, if you’re Morey you understand why he’s hesitate to break that up. Plus, with how much Tyrese Maxey has improved in his second year and how Seth Curry has been shooting this season, it’s a shame  we don’t get to see how this offense would look with Simmons in the lineup.

If Simmons wants to compete for a championship, it’s clear that the Sixers are the best option for his talents. However, based on how things have played out this season, we know that won’t happen. Simmons will get traded eventually it just a matter of time. And it’s a shame because with him on the roster, Philly would have another legitimate shot at a championship. For now though, we’ll just have to wait and see where he ends up.