Philadelphia 76ers fans entered the 2019-20 season with high hopes that Ben Simmons can finally take the next step in his game and incorporate a jump shot into his already dynamic offensive game. With the massive off-season hype that Simmons has been working on his jumper all summer long, they had every right to look forward to finally seeing it come to fruition.
Simmons actually started showcasing his three-pointer in the off-season with footage of him taking and making threes in open gym and pick-up games. He even blew up the internet during the preseason when pulled up from way beyond the arc and absolutely swished it, sending social media into a frenzy.
Remember that bad boy? It seems like this happened a long time ago.
Sure, there was never an expectation from Simmons to start jacking up 30-footers like James Harden or Stephen Curry all of a sudden. But there just hasn't been any semblance of progress so far this year from the former Rookie of the Year.
So what's the problem? What's happening? We're already 11 games into the season, yet Simmons is still very much the same player that he was when he first entered the league.
Simmons has yet to attempt a single three-pointer this season. His lone make against the Guangzhou Loong Lions was his lone attempt through the preseason. While this isn't the end of the world, this has to be a cause of concern for Sixers fans.
Per Basketball Reference, over 53 percent of his shots have come from within three feet, while over 41 percent are between three to ten feet. Based on those numbers, there seems to be little to no progress in terms of developing and confidently taking even mid-range jumpers, more so three-pointers.
Some may argue that Simmons is just playing his game and getting to the rim is where he is most deadly and effective. Nonetheless, the Sixers would benefit more from the mere fact that he can now confidently take those shots.
Simmons not showcasing his ability to knockdown the three-ball or even a mid-range jumper allows other teams to gameplan their defense without regarding Simmons as a threat.
Joel Embiid recently admitted that while he doesn't have any problems with Simmons just continuing to play his game, they will need him to shoot if they want to unlock their full potential as a team and go all the way.
And he's right. Simmons is already so deadly in the open floor. Likewise, he is also showing strides in working in the post and is a mismatch nightmare for his smaller defenders. However, that's where Embiid is most effective as well, and he will have to get his touches down there, too.
When Embiid is posting up, that neutralizes Simmons as a non-threat to make something happen. Having and showcasing the ability to shoot gives Embiid more space to operate in the post as bodies will have to respect him as a threat to score from distance.
Nevertheless, Sixers fans shouldn't fret with this early season non-development so far. It's a long season anyway, and anything could happen from here.
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