Sixers' Daryl Morey Isn't Fixated on Ben Simmons' Jumper
Philadelphia 76ers former first pick Ben Simmons can do it all. Well, he can almost do it all. Simmons has established himself as an emerging superstar in the NBA throughout the first few seasons of his career.
He's got a good basketball IQ, he's a solid passer, elite defender, can get to the rim and score, and is unstoppable in transition when going full speed. However, there is a part of Simmons' game that leaves a lot to be desired.
To basketball fans and TV personalities, Ben Simmons' jump shot is everything. Without it, he'll never earn the respect of his peers, critics, or viewers.
Despite all of the accolades he's earned before the age of 25 in his three-year career, only the lack of a shot seems to matter. Again, to many on the outside looking in, his jump shot is everything.
But to the man in control of the Sixers' personnel decisions, the jump shot is just an add-on to Simmons' game. Daryl Morey, the Sixers' new President of Basketball Operations, took over the job while many are suggesting the Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid duo needs to be split up.
While Simmons and Embiid are both All-Stars, their fit alongside each other has been somewhat problematic in previous years due to spacing issues on the court. Part of the reason the Sixers have spacing issues is that Simmons is hardly a threat to shoot the ball outside the paint -- and teams take advantage of that.
Morey's solution won't be to force Simmons to begin shooting at a high rate. Instead, he believes surrounding both, Embiid and Simmons with shooters elsewhere will benefit the All-Stars. And if Simmons happens to unlock a consistent jumper in the meantime -- then it's just a bonus to his game.
"We know he’s super effective the way he plays now," Morey said on 94 WIP in Philly, per Jon Johnson. "The rest is just upside.” Although the Sixers' front office won't pressure Simmons to utilize his jump shot, the fourth-year All-Star is more likely to step outside his comfort zone during the 2020-2021 season.
Over the summer, Simmons began shooting with less hesitation down in the Orlando bubble ahead of the Sixers' 2020 NBA Playoff run. Unfortunately, he couldn't fully un-tap that part of his game as a significant knee injury derailed his season.
Whether Simmons will look to unleash his jump shot or not in 2020-2021 remains to be seen. If he doesn't, though, nobody should expect Morey to be working the phones seeking to package him in a trade. As much as people remain fixated on Simmons' jump shot -- or lack thereof a jump shot -- Morey views it as just a bonus.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
