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It is still uncertain if Ben Simmons will play for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, or even ever again. Furthermore, as of right now, 76ers star Joel Embiid is about to enter into his prime. It is a perfect time for the 76ers to pursue winning an NBA Finals. If Simmons does eventually get included in the 76ers season, will he be all they need to reach the NBA Finals?
The answer isn’t as simple as it might seem. Theoretically, having Simmons raises a team's ceiling to be an NBA Finals contender. However, the 76ers would have to beat at least one of the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, or Miami Heat.
These three teams are finals contenders, and even if the 76ers have Ben Simmons, it is not definite that they could beat them in a seven-game series. Furthermore, with an identical roster to the last season, the 76ers lost in seven games to the Atlanta Hawks, who are a good team but are not finals contenders this season.
If Simmons were traded, or just never played for the 76ers again, the 76ers would be losing their second All-Star in a league built around star players. It is almost impossible to win the NBA finals without at least two All-Stars, but Embiid could be good enough. He was last season's MVP runner-up, and if he could be at that same level again this season, there is always a chance. Embiid has the potential to do so. The issue for him has just always been health.
Ben Simmons was the regular-season insurance for Embiid because if Embiid had to miss a lot of time, the 76ers playoff seed would not suffer from Simmons on the team. If Simmons is no longer on the team, that protection goes away, and if Embiid was to get hurt, so might their playoff standings.
On top of that, we don’t yet fully know how the 76ers roster would play in the playoffs without Simmons. Simmons and Embiid have not been able to make it out of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Maybe with just Embiid, he could do more.
The answer to whether Ben Simmons will be on this 76ers roster makes them an NBA title contender is still unclear. Theoretically, they could, but history shows otherwise. Giving Embiid a shot to go on his own might show different results, but the 76ers are on injury away from being a play-in team.
Will Ben Simmons elevate other teams to being NBA title contenders?
Again, this answer is not a clear one because it depends on a lot of different variables. What team does Ben Simmons join, what kind of organization and coach, and does he ever find his shot? All of these are impossible to predict, so trying does not make much sense. However, we know that Simmons is one of the better players in the league and can help a team win in the regular season.
The 76ers drafted Ben Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Simmons sat out his first season with the team due to injury, but since then has made an immediate impact. In his four seasons playing for the 76ers, Simmons has averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game.
Along with that, he was an All-Star three times, was selected to two All-Defense teams, one All-NBA team, and was also Rookie of the Year. In his four seasons with the 76ers, they were only outside of the top three seed in the Eastern Conference in one season.
The issue with Ben Simmons has been in the playoffs, where he drops to 13.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. Simmons lacks an outside shot, which makes it challenging to run a half-court offense, even more so when he has the ball in his hands the whole time.
Ben Simmons's two possible best trade outcomes are being traded to a middle-of-the-pack team that won't be making the playoffs to develop or join a good team, where he can become a do-everything role player.
Using the Sacramento Kings as an example, Simmons would join an okay team, but a team more in the play-in hunt. Simmons could work on his in-game jumper to try to grow into a better shooter. Maybe over time and as he grows, Simmons could lead the Kings to multiple playoff appearances.
Another example is the Portland Trail Blazers, but keeping Damian Lillard. Ben Simmons could play the do-everything role by rebounding, playing defense, screening, and passing. Lillard will be there to provide perimeter scoring and spacing, allowing Simmons more room in the paint. On top of that, Simmons could be Draymond Green to Lillard’s Stephen Curry, running handoffs 30 feet from the basket.
Poll : Can Ben Simmons help the Philadelphia 76ers win an NBA Finals this season?
Yes
No
64 votes
