Ben Simmons' Jumper Isn't on Sixers Coach Doc Rivers' Mind
When Brett Brown was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, he made it apparent that he doesn't feel the same way about Ben Simmons' jump shot as much as fans and media personalities do.
Although Brown urged Simmons to try and shoot more often, the two-time All-Star proved he wasn't ready to make the shift going from an unwilling shooter to a player who was ready to start firing at will.
At this point, we know Brett Brown will never be able to get Simmons to consistently shoot since the Sixers parted ways with Brown back in August. Now, it's Doc Rivers' turn to figure out what he wants to do with Simmons.
Whether the former first-overall pick will play point forward or point guard in 2020-2021 is still unknown to Rivers himself. However, the veteran head coach does know one thing right now -- he's not going to obsess over Simmons' jumper either.
"I don't care about Ben's shooting as much as so many other people seem to care about it," Rivers said on Tuesday. "I care that he's a great player, and I'm gonna let him play. I mean, give him the keys and let him be free and play."
The number of times Simmons wants to utilize his jump shot on a game-by-game basis will ultimately be up to him. Last season, Brett Brown asked for at least one three-point attempt from Simmons each game. As we know, Simmons didn't abide.
At a point, Brown admittedly considered benching the All-Star because of it -- but Doc Rivers doesn't seem to consider taking things in that direction.
"If he takes no shots, I'm fine," Rivers claimed. "If he takes ten threes, I'm fine. If he gets to the line 15 times, I'm fine. Ben is brilliant enough for me to allow him to play and not get in his way and try to cloud his head up with a bunch of crap. It's about winning, and that's what I want Ben to focus on."
Rivers' comments on Tuesday don't necessarily mean Simmons will avoid shooting the ball in year four. After all, the 24-year-old hybrid guard showed a willingness to let it fly if he was open down in the bubble before getting injured last season.
But for anybody who believes Rivers will force the idea of shooting to Simmons more than Brown did -- think again. The veteran head coach is confident enough in Simmons as a player without the jump shot. So, at this point, Simmons knocking down shots would just be an added bonus to his game.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
