June 14, 2016
Theoretically, the Sixers have to make a decision at the top of next week’s NBA draft between Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram.
But the real decision is whether or not the Philadelphia 76ers believe in themselves. The only decision is whether the Sixers think enough of their own organization, believe enough in their own culture, and believe enough in their own system to take the best player in the draft – Simmons.
If you want to find red flags, you can certainly find what look like warning signs. However, these worries are very secondary to the huge upside on Simmons.
The concerns about Simmons are rooted in the fact that he quit during the latter stages of his college season at LSU; the fact that he led a team decision not to play in the NIT; the fact that he isn’t a great shooter; the fact that he doesn’t want to play in the Olympics; and the fact that he is working out back home in Australia rather than working out for NBA teams – especially the Sixers.
It’s a whole lot of worries about not much of anything.
This is a matter of having faith that your organization can take the best player, who might be a little immature at 19, and believe that you have a culture to get the best out of him.
The belly laugh will occur if you are convinced that the Sixers are a joke of a franchise that was led down the path of doom by Sam Hinkie and will never recover. If that is your opinion there really isn’t anybody the Sixers could draft to brighten the future.
However, the organization had better believe they are on a road to better things with Jerry Colangelo at the helm. The Sixers must believe that the tear down was accomplished by Hinkie, and the rebuild is in order under Colangelo and coach Brett Brown.
The Sixers have to believe they can take a talent such as Simmons – or whomever, and get the most out of him. And it says here that Simmons has a greater ceiling than Ingram.
Can anybody really be worried that Simmons did not want to work out for the Sixers? What were they really going to discover?
He needs to work on his shot. That fact has been pretty well established and he is making those adjustments in terms of right-hand versus left-hand dominance.
He quit on LSU?
You can make that argument, and it has some merit. However, LSU was a mess at the end of the season and there wasn’t much a 19-year old was going to do to revive a sinking ship. It was an obvious mess, and Simmons wanted to get onto the next phase of his career – the NBA.
The Olympics?
Come on, every time the Olympics come around there is less interest, and as a fan of an NBA team wouldn’t you rather your star player was ready and healthy for his NBA season?
The stuff around Simmons and his heart or desire is more nonsense. If he is the best player in the draft you take him – unless you have no faith in your own organization to get the best out of him.
And if that’s the case, you need no people.
So, when it comes time for the Sixers to make the selection for the first pick in the draft next week, they will take Ben Simmons.
If they believe in themselves.
***
The coronation of Howie Roseman is apparently scheduled for some time during the preseason as Eagles fans continue to gloat over the off-season maneuvers, including the record-breaking signing of Fletcher Cox.
Give Roseman full credit for getting a whole lot done in a short period of time. Roseman hit the ground running over Chip Kelly’s legacy and has totally remade the whole organization.
He’s spent a whole lot of money, but that hardly guarantees success. Given Roseman full credit for getting the deal done for Cox and others.
But remember, the real problem with Roseman the first time around was the draft. So, nice as it is to have Cox signed for the future, the basis of his success will be based on one person – Carson Wentz.
If he fails, so will Roseman.
