Simmons has no issue whatsoever putting up 100s of shots a day in practice and in scrimmage. It's when the environment changes to an actual game is where he refuses to shoot. Here's another thing: Kevin O'Connor has said many times over the years that Ben Simmons has been shooting with the wrong hand. In fact, I believe Simmons' former teammate JJ Redick has also said something to that extent. If we are to believe that this is true...and Simmons hasn't shown any inclination he wants to try to adjust his shot by shooting with his other hand...doesn't that tell you how he is as a person, basically not trying to adjust and see if there are ways he can actually improve? EDIT: Here's a video O'Connor tweeted where Simmons is shooting with his right hand as opposed to his left (e.g. incorrect) hand EDIT 2: Jalen Rose says the same thing:
It's simple for me. I like the Rockets. I don't like Ben Simmons. Seeing Simmons in a Rockets uniform is a conflict of interest. I would like to continue to cheer for my team.
There's a difference between a player getting help on his shot and actually putting what he's learned in practice to use on the court and a player getting help on his shot and never using what he learned during game time situations. Like I said, Simmons has shown that he can make shots in practice via all of the viral videos that gets posted during the offseason. But when the regular season starts, what happens to those shots? It's not as if his team, coach or teammates are telling him NOT to shoot.
I concede that point. But even handicapped as he is shooting wise, he still is threat to drop a triple double in any game. And average double digit PPG average. Still take him over Wall. But again, the choice is Stone's, no matter how much we may disagree.
It's not about scoring 20 ppg or even getting triple doubles for me. It's the fact that he's not helping himself and, more importantly, helping his team to be better by adding/improving his jumpshot. Having a respectable jumpshot where defenses aren't tempted to sag off of you helps your teammates by spacing the floor. It creates more opportunities for Simmons as a playmaker (defender: "****, is he going to pull up for a jumper or is he going to drive right down the lane?", "crap, do I leave him open at the baseline 3 or do i go help double Embiid?"). When you're a non-threat to jump from beyond 10 feet, the defenses knows that you're either going to pass or drive in and they are going to plan accordingly every single night. The Sixers offensive rating was 13th last year and their defensive rating was 2nd. Simmons was a big reason why their defense was so good but he's also a big reason why they weren't a top 10 offense last year. It wouldn't have taken much from Simmons to help elevate the Sixers' offensive rating into the top 10.
Wow. So it might come down to it being more of a mental problem. That's interesting. Messed up, but interesting.
The Sixers, as an organization from top to bottom, was a walking **** show after Hinkie was jettisoned. And the players were just as confused and without guidance as the coaches and FO. Jimmy Butler said as much and could not wait to leave that team. Simmons has his share of the blame no doubt but I liken him to the pedestrian who does not look both ways and was run over by an unlicensed blind driver driving a car with faulty factory installed brakes and easily combustible fuel tank.
Meanwhile, the NBA knows this and fans know this. Simmons is going to have to fix his shot while NBA players are disrespecting his ability by sagging off further or intentionally fouling in crunch time and NBA fans are going to let him know it every time he shoots a FT. That's a very large mental hurdle to overcome in my opinion.
There's been a lot of players throughout NBA history that's had problems with their shot early in their careers and got it fixed. Malone and his free throw shooting. Tony Parker and his mid range. Recently, Lonzo Ball and Julius Randle switched up their mechanics and became decent outside shooters. The divide is that those players made it a choice to get help and put in the work to fix it so that it could improve their productivity. Ben Simmons? I don't know the guy but, based on what I've read and seen, it's one part him not thinking there's an issue and one part of his entourage/family not telling him it's an issue. I mean, holy hell, his shooting coach has been his own damn brother. https://everythingsphine.com/2021/0...ded-he-should-work-with-bens-brother-instead/ When you're in an environment that is more worried about insulating who you are and not about demanding and challenging you to be better (and then you eventually believe in that crock), how are you going to break the cycle and change? People on here who says "if this..." or "if that.." are either in denial or are ignorant to how much influence people around Simmons has on him. They don't give a sh*t if Simmons improves or not because, at the end of the day, as long as he keeps getting max extensions they, too, are getting paid.
I don't know how/why we're turning the conversation towards the front office but, sure, you get no arguments from me that the organization hasn't been, lack for a better term, competent. But let's not sweep this under the rug if we're going to talk about Jimmy's time with the Sixers: https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-ben-simmons-mental-makeup-during-76ers-stint https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-...-have-seen-their-current-trade-fiasco-coming/ https://theathletic.com/2102252/202...er-has-been-right-about-everything-all-along/ https://thesixersense.com/2020/09/30/sixers-rumors-jimmy-butler-doubted-ben-simmons-mental-makeup/
… and then they hired on of the “best GMs in the NBA" who steadied the ship and everything was smooth sailing since… NOT
Morey has his share of the blame (not jettisoning Simmons when he had the chance to get Harden is the biggest one) but let's not kid ourselves and think that this franchise was in tip top shape when he arrived.
I dont remember the time when Clint Capela became a shooter, let alone a great one when we're at it why the shooting doctor john lucas couldnt help david nwaba fix his shot?
Exactly. I trust a rookie working on his shot to slowly get better aka Sengun and Garuba. I have no faith in a player on a max contract beginning NOW to work on his shot and especially with the wrong damn hand. I certainly don't gamble $150M on it either.
right. The point is if you hire a supposedly ‘one of the best", expectations are that things will get better… they got worse. you’re right, Morey’s fault is minimal. In fact, transactionally he’s done some of his best work in Philly: getting Green and Curry really opened things for them. Also extension for the 7-2ft post-up beast… (funny how that works, after we had to endure all his BS about midget-ball being the future, and post-up play being "inefficient") But again, his total disregard for human relations worsened what was already a toxic culture. A top dog should be able to install a healthy environment. Point is not that he’s a bad GM, he’s mediocre, yet was inflated and idolized by the clueless non-basketball blog-boy media…
