Ben Simmons' lack of shooting prowess was a point of conversation during the 2019 offseason, with many within the Philadelphia 76ers organization hoping he would take the next step. Sixers teammate Joel Embiid has surely touched on that part of his game, as he is more prone to taking 3-point attempts than the point guard himself:
“We've had conversations, especially when it comes to shooting,” Embiid told ESPN's Jackie MacMullan. “Ben can help me a lot. I feel like I've helped him a lot with his game. People keep saying, ‘Oh, you have to stop spending time on the 3-point line,' but I do it because Ben is such a good driver, going to the basket, that I've got to help open that up for him.
“I would like if he would do the same for me, to start shooting [3s]. But I also know how uncomfortable he is with it.”
This is the big elephant in the room and the pivotal reason why pundits express a feeling that Simmons and Embiid cannot coexist in the same ecosystem. The trade rumblings have only grown louder this season due to the Sixers' struggles, especially on the road, which led to an underachieving 39-26 record prior to the NBA's hiatus.
While the Sixers boast incredible length across the court, part of it is nullified offensively by Simmons' utter reluctance to let it fly. While his lack of 3-point shooting has been problematic, perhaps his lack of all-around shooting is more of the issue here.
Not only is Simmons unable to separate and hurt teams from the outside, but he's also unwilling to take a step in and hurt them from mid-range. That lack of an evolution alone has mired Embiid with double- and triple-teams, while rendering the team's offense stagnant despite the talent at hand.
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