May 24, 2016
Last week, we did a little poll on which Philly team will win the next title. Some people were angry that I didn’t include the Union (My bad! I do like soccer) and close to 600 people voted, with the Flyers edging out the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers in that order.
Let’s do another one, specifically about the team that came in last in that original poll. It’s the hot-button issue in Philly sports at the moment: Who should the Sixers take at No. 1 in the upcoming NBA Draft, Duke’s Brandon Ingram or LSU’s Ben Simmons? There are some strong opinions floating around. For example, Angelo Cataldi thinks Simmons will be a bust.
The poll is right here. Please vote and feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post explaining your rationale. Just like last time, I laid out some pros and cons and also reveal which way I’m leaning at the bottom:
• Shooting: I wrote about fit yesterday when it comes to Simmons, and you could argue this idea largely boils down to shooting. Basically, Ingram fits most teams better because he’s someone you have to keep close tabs on even when he doesn’t have the ball.
Ingram shot 41 percent from three as a freshman on a boatload of attempts, although he only managed 68 percent on free throws.
• Age: Over 13 months younger than Simmons, Ingram could legitimately be a college freshman this year. If you froze Simmons Austin Powers style for the next year, how much different would the comparisons be?
• Frame: I mean, have you seen him? The Kevin Durant comparisons are unfair, especially because we don’t know if he’ll be able to fill out physically to the level KD did.
• Defensive consistency: Ingram’s length makes him intriguing on both ends of the floor, but the defense should be a work in progress at the NBA level, at least consistently:
• Court vision: Per KenPom, Simmons’ 27.4 percent assist rate was 141st in the country. He’s not LeBron James, but the way he can hold the attention of five defenders at 6'10" and zing a pass into the corner is special. Give this man some shooters and space:
• Versatility: Both offensively and defensively (where switching has become vital part of today’s NBA), Simmons can do a lot of different things for you. At his size, Simmons can move his feet very well on the perimeter.
• Outside shooting: During the pre-draft process, a lot of people will bring up that Simmons can’t shoot. Up to this point, they wouldn’t be wrong to do so. The Aussie completely punted (numbers per Hoop Math) on threes:
| % of shots | FG% | |
| At rim | 54.4% | 75.2% |
| 2 pt. jumpers | 44.8% | 32.9% |
| 3 pt. jumpers | 0.8% | 33.3% |
There are some reak success stories like Kawhi Leonard, but a player who can’t shoot is a problem in today’s NBA, whether it's with the ball (when defenses can go under screens) or off the ball (when defenses can sag off and focus on other players). We all went through the Michael Carter-Williams era. It’s a legitimate worry.
• Potential attitude issues: This one might very well be overblown, and the Sixers are the ones who have to figure it out. Simmons’ body language wasn’t all that good in some late losses as his LSU team fell apart down the stretch. Despite playing in an obviously bad situation, Simmons didn't help himself down the season's stretch.
This could change, but right now I’m leaning toward Simmons. Ingram might be a better fit, but I believe that the Aussie has a better chance of being a contender's driving force. And the top of the draft is about trying to find stars.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
