Former Chicago Bulls Player Urges Philadelphia 76ers to Ditch Joel Embiid Over Ben Simmons as Team Leader

Philadelphia 76ers have struggled to answer the question of their identity for the last few years. Is it Ben Simmons‘ team, or is it Joel Embiid‘s team? The two don’t have a complimentary play style and have held each other back. Embiid is a beast in the post, who is adding a solid jump shot to his game. Simmons is a 6’10” point guard with amazing court vision and strength. However, Simmons is also probably the worst shooter in the league.

ESPN’s Jay Williams picked Ben Simmons over Joel Embiid when asked which one is more valuable. “I’ve said it multiple times. Considering Joel Embiid’s history of injuries and not knowing where the league is going as far as traditional bigs. If they can’t get it done with Brett Brown and they do have to make a decision to split them up, I would build a team around Ben Simmons rather than Joel Embiid.”

Philadelphia 76ers Have A Hard Choice To Make

The 76ers spent a big part of their recent history purposely tanking to get good draft picks. They have done well by drafting Simmons and Embiid, but still haven’t ascended to the championship level. They were one shot away from the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2019, but find themselves as the 6th seed this season. The reason for this decline has to be because 76ers coach Brett Brown is yet to find a system that allows both players to flourish.

Embiid and Simmons are amazing players, but lack in certain areas of versatility. Neither of them is a reliable shooter, but Embiid has at least a serviceable three-point shot (34.8% on 3.7 attempts a game). Simmons is unwilling to shoot but is one of the best on-ball playmakers in the league. Their fit is becoming increasingly tedious in a league that is relying on the three-point shot more than ever. Dwight Howard has made more NBA threes than Ben Simmons this year, so something has to change in Philly.