The Philadelphia 76ers were my pick to win the NBA Championship last season. And my predictions are always right unless some type of major, unforeseen catastrophe transpires (like when Kawhi quit on the Spurs in 2018). Well, we NBA fans witnessed more major, unforeseen catastrophes during last season's playoffs than perhaps in all other playoffs of the last 20-30 years combined. That's another way of saying, in layman's terms, that the shit looked pretty rigged, but that's a discussion for another day.
I don't feel like doing any hard googling at the moment. But I know that other strange shit was happening in that series between the Sixers and the Hawks even before Ben Simmons passed up that dunk in Game 7 or whatever. I know this because at the time I was participating heavily on an NBA chat site, where other smartasses such as myself sit around, analyzing games and shooting the shit. And I remember there was one pivotal game during that series where Joel Embiid, who is more or less considered to be the best player between the two teams, went like totally went cold in the second half. And I was trying to explain to the homeys that for a perennial all-star like Embiid to go cold in what is arguably the biggest game of his career at that point is an anomaly, to say the least. But at the end of the day, it was Ben Simmons who took the heat for the team failing to the inferior Hawks. And here's a look at the play that resulted in that stigma, just in case you never seen it:
Now you can use whatever colorful adjective you want to describe Ben Simmons passing up that dunk or layup or whatever. But as for me, I prefer to use the word "weird"|. The way he was able to totally shake Danilo Gallinari and make it all the way to the hoop, even if you're a street basketball player instinct would pretty much dictate that you to take the shot. So how much more for a professional baller? So it's like he overrode his instinct and instead decided to pass the ball to a teammate who was in a lesser position to score.
As you can also see from the clip, even though the Sixers were down two at the time, they was still well over three minutes on the clock, and Simmons' pass did get Matisse Thybulle to the line to shoot a couple of free throws. So when Ben was ultimately blamed for the loss yes, logic would dictate that he was made into a scapegoat, as it wouldn't be logical, with the above considered, to say that single play changed the entire game.
So then the overachieving Atlanta Hawks managed to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers - i.e. the team with the best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference - in Philly during a Game 7, which is a pretty amazing accomplishment. They were then defeated by the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, i.e. the team that struggled to beat the Nets, even though Kyrie Irving did not play most of the series, and James Harden, when he did play, was visibly injured. So it's hard to imagine that the Bucks would have been able to defeat a fully-healthy Sixers' squad. Then, the Bucks proceeded to win the NBA Championship overall. So let's say that the Sixers losing that Game 7 and the series to the Hawks benefited Milwaukee more than anyone else.
TRADE BEN SIMMONS?
Ben Simmons made the All-Star Team last season, marking his third consecutive year doing so. He had also been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the second time in a row - so on and so forth. So no one can deny that he is a star, one who has lived up to his number-one draft pick calling. But if you've been following the recent drama, you would notice that unlike when other perennial all-stars usually hit the trade block, Simmons' services haven't being heavily sought after, and that's because Ben doesn't really have a jump shot. In other words, dickriding offensive-minded players is perhaps more pronounced now than it has ever been in NBA history. Meanwhile, logic would dictate that in an era where everyone is hoisting up threes, that a player who specializes in perimeter defense would be in high demand.
But it's also understandable also why a team would be reluctant to put together a major trade package for a PG, SG or SF who can't really score. Back when this fiasco first started, I personally felt that a Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum trade would be a good idea. If there's any PG in the NBA who is willing and able to carry the offensive load for his squad (i.e. chuck), it's Damian Lillard. So it would kinda make sense for the Blazers to restrategize (considering that they can never reach the promised land) and perhaps consider teaming Lillard up in the backcourt with a defensive specialist, i.e. someone who, unlike McCollum, is actually reluctant to shoot. But apparently, that idea never appealed to the Blazers. And part of the reason would probably be that Lillard is regularly injured, thus necessitating having a backup-prolific scorer on hand.
There was also talk earlier that, since Kawhi Leonard is injured, that perhaps the Clippers should put together a package for Simmons to hold the squad down in the meantime. Considering how balanced their roster is, such would have been a risk. But then when you look at how L.A. has started the season thus far, it's like maybe that wasn't such a bad idea after all.
CONCLUSION
Did you see The Last Dance? One of the main subthemes of that documentary is how disappointing it is, to players and fans alike, when a team decides to breakup their roster at its peak. Well the Sixers may not be at their peak per se s- ince losing players like Robert Covington, JJ Reddick and Jimmy Butler. But with Simmons they still have, IMO, the best roster in the East (though the Heat are now up there also) and also perhaps the deepest. And you know, there's always going to be reporters who salivate at the idea of a star player being traded, propagating it accordingly. But being that there isn't any type of appealing trade packages being presented for Simmons, that idea is pretty much out the window in this case.
Also, I think most fans want to see the Sixers remain intact. And at the end of the day, you have to also presume that Philly knows they have a better chance eventually winning a championship with Simmons than having to develop a new core, which will basically be the task at hand if they trade him. And Ben continuing to sit, even though he isn't injured, doesn't make any type of practical sense. Yes, it's fucked up how certain people in the organization and even city of Philadelphia treated him after Game 7. But at least the most important voice of all, Joel Embiid, repented and tried to make peace.
So at a certain point, if Simmons isn't traded and continues not to play, he's going to look like a big baby. And that wouldn't be good for his brand, as they call it these days.
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