Originally posted on
RealGM
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By Jack Tien-Dana
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Last updated 7/18/21
It is time, once again, to talk about Ben Simmons. Last week, Shams Charania reported that the Sixers have “opened up trade conversations surrounding Simmons'' and that they “want an All-Star caliber player in return.” Of course they have and of course they do. Simmons is a brilliant player, but after he and the rest of the 76ers collapsed like a neutron star under the weight of their own down-badness, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in Philadelphia where Simmons ever becomes up-good.
Just as people are unfairly saying that Coffin Flop is not a show, Simmons is broadly and unfairly misunderstood. Simmons is the only person alive (and one of like three people ever) who can offer such a rare and special combination of elite passing and uber-elite defense—and people would rather eternally whine about how he misses some free throws sometimes. Without question, he’s one of the 20 best players in the NBA. This shouldn’t be a controversial opinion, despite people liking to pretend it is: Simmons made the All-NBA Third Team in 2020 and contended for Defensive Player of the Year the last two seasons.