Ben Simmons had missed the Sixers‘ last eight games due to a back injury and was projected to be sidelined indefinitely when the NBA suspended its season in March. However, the four-month layoff has paid off the former No. 1 pick, who confirmed this week that he’s fully healthy and ready to participate in the NBA’s restart, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes.
“I’m feeling better than I was when I started the season,” Simmons told reporters on Thursday. “But I’ve been working since I had the injury, working ’til now to prepare for whatever happens, wherever we go. So I’m feeling great, I’ve been rehabbing this whole time, so I’m feeling ready. And I’m feeling very comfortable.”
Some players, especially those with a history of injuries, have been apprehensive about participating in the NBA’s restart, given the brief ramp-up period to the eight seeding games and the playoffs. However, Simmons didn’t express any reservations about the league’s plan.
“Wherever my team is, I feel like it’s my responsibility to go down there and represent Philadelphia in the highest way possible, and I think this is the right way to do it,” Simmons said, per Bontemps. “If we’re safe down there, and I trust in what the NBA is doing, and they’re taking extreme precautions with this. So I feel like if we’re all going, I’m in. I’m with my teammates and I never would want them to go down and not expect to see me there. So I’m all-in with my team.”
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- Head coach Brett Brown acknowledged on Wednesday that the offensive fit of his starting lineup – especially when Al Horford has been part of that group – has been “clunky.” However, as Paul Hudrick of NBC Sports Philadelphia details, Brown believes the group is “built for the playoffs” and will weigh potential roles for Horford and Shake Milton during the training camp period. “In a perfect world, you’d like to go into those eight (seeding) games and have some minor tweak and rotation changes as opposed to Game 5 and, ‘Oh, crap, we’ve got something that’s a little bit funky here,'” Brown said.
- In a separate story for NBC Sports Philadelphia, Hudrick profiles DePaul forward Paul Reed, suggesting that he’s the sort of versatile prospect the Sixers should target with one of their second-round picks.
- Ryan Broekhoff‘s wife has an auto-immune disease and the couple has a one-year-old son, but the veteran sharpshooter ultimately decided to join the Sixers for the NBA’s restart, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “We spoke to (76ers GM) Elton (Brand) and spoke to (Brown) and just wanted to get some more information of how the bubble would be down in Orlando, and if anything happens at home, what are my options to get back and take care of my family,” Broekhoff said. “… I think the opportunity in the end was too hard to pass up.”
This year is wide open．Everyone can win it all
Starting from next year they are 6~10 team
Rockets
76ers
Celtics
Mavs
Heat
Does that mean Denver and Toronto are in the top 5? I don’t think either of those teams are any better than the ones listed above, except for Philly.
Department of “I am not a scientist but”:
Broekhoff may help the family most by catching covid19 in Orlando, snuffing it out internally before he leaves, and bringing home the antibodies to the autoimmune-condition kissable wife.
I am less sure everyone should do similar. What Sweden is doing is a good social test, encouraging this process but without including the complicated blood-plasma exchange to transfer the antibodies maybe more surely.
Simmons is the man, a real superstar of the league!
Sixers should have tried hard to get Rose. He was available. Sixers healthy as sixth seed. They got a shot at East finals. Bucks are clear #1 in east. 2-6 all can get on a run. Seven gm series just gotta get hot.
Sixers should trade Al Horford for Harrison Barnes.
Horford as stated above by coach Brett Brown makes the offence “clunky” and isn’t quite the fit. He’s overpaid and getting old. Barnes is 7 years younger, is more versatile at the 3/4 position, is the better shooter and is use to being a role player on a winning team. His contract is also for less money which is a bonus.
After that I’d look to make some really good FA signings and try keep the roster the same to build chemistry and winning mentality.
I think with Ben Simmons, Brett Brown, Mattise Thybulle and now Ryan Broenkoff that would have a good pull with Australians (Patty Mills, Mathew Dellavedova and Aaron Baynes).
Delly would probably sign a 1 year vets min contract with the Sixers and be a good PG for the second unit. At 6’3 he was some size for a PG, he’s a career 38% shooter from deep and averages almost 1 assists per 1 point he scores showing he’s capable of running a second unit.
Personally I’d suggest trading Josh Richardson for someone who is a better fit next to Ben Simmons. Preferably someone who is a good three point shooter, is good playing off ball but can create when needed and someone who is still reasonably young. Players that come to mind would be Buddy Heild, CJ McCollum even Danny Green or Joe Ingles might be a better fit with picks coming our way. But for now JRich is alright
1. Ben Simmons. Mathew Dellavedova
2. Josh Richardson. Shake Milton. Brokenhoff
3. Harrison Barnes. Mattise Thybulle. Korkmaz
4. Tobias Harris. Mike Scott. Pelle
5. Joel Embiid. Kyle OQuinn
Whew… what a read! You REALLY need this season to start again, don’t you LOL?
Philly drafting Reed reminds me of them trading up to get Thybulle, a similar player at a different position, and that worked out. Both have extra talent for defense.
The linked article does not give him enough credit for an astounding stat per The Athletic: a +27 on/off. He REALLY gives his team a boost. On the other hand, he is a non-prospect on some boards because his offense is not trusted. He may favor a chaotic game in style.