The ROTY/Rookie Discussion Thread, Part III

[SkyHookFTW]

rookie Magic Johnson: 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 53% field shooting, 77 games
rookie Ben Simmons: 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 54% field shooting, 75 games

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

[shawn unkempt]

rookie Magic Johnson: 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 53% field shooting, 77 games
rookie Ben Simmons: 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 54% field shooting, 75 games

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

[richboy]

Ben Simmons is beyond just the best rookie. IMO he is challenging a top 20 player in the league. Honestly I probably make a case that I rather have Ben Simmons today than John Wall, Kyle Lowry, or Kemba Walker. Kyrie is the only point guard in the East I would take over him. That may only last a few more weeks.

If Lebron doesn't sign with the Sixers. The more i see Simmons the more it be a terrible fit with him and Ben. If he doesn't sign with the Sixers Simmons will have a shot next year to average a triple double. He is now getting around 15 assist and making it look easy. Also becoming a bigger and bigger monster on the boards.

I’m really hoping LeBron does not sign with Philly, not because I’m a Boston fan but because I think there is a massive chance it will stunt Bens growth. It could go the other way though.

Agreed. They are very similar players. It's such a shame as Philly and their excellent young core getting a prime superstar like Lebron would be such an amazing combo- but Lebron's just not the right fit for them.

Mind you, if Lebron is keen to go to Philly- you can't really say no from Philly's perspective.

I suppose with dead-eye 3PT shooters at the SG and PF spots (along with Embiid's excellent range at C, and Lebron's good enough range at SF), it could work. Their fast break would be amazing obviously, and I could see Lebron and Ben teaming up great with one-two passes to each other for easy buckets. Also you could rotate them so both spend time on the court alone when the other is resting. The more I think about it- the more I'm trying to convince myself it'll work well .

Lebron has range but he almost always dribbles into his shot. He has very few catch and shoot 3s.

Honestly I would say no thank you. Lebron is great but he will be in year 16. He wouldn't have won the title in 12 of his current 15 years. He has only won 60 games once in the last 8 years. You don't need Lebron on your team to have the best team. Has been proven over and over again. The goal should be to put together the best team. I think the straight reality right now is I could build a better team without Lebron. If he had the skill set of Kevin Durant I be running to sign him. Which is one reason I said in the past you could build better teams with Durant than you could Lebron. Lebron and Ben would be fun in transition. In the half court Lebron is going to want the ball in his hands. He is one of the most ball dominate players in the league. Chris Paul his best friend said he wouldn't play with Lebron because he wants the basketball to much. Ben can't shoot when Lebron has the ball. Ben's entire value on offense is being the quarterback of the offense. This story is identical to Kyrie where we find out now he was really upset all these years that Lebron was running the offense. He though had an of the ball game to fall utilize. Ben says over and over his goal is to be all time great. I think Phili bringing in Lebron would be playing with fire.

I didn't even get into how Lebron doesn't like bigs in the paint. Do we need to show what Kevin Love and Chris Bosh use to play like before Lebron. Even you now have Embiid as a floor spacer. Sounds like we heading right down the path of drive and kick basketball that makes his teams good but not great.

I personally think Lebron has been terrible at picking best franchise to go play with. I think if I was Lebron I would go play with a great player that complimented my skill set. If it is all just titles for a trade to Minnesota, San Antonio, or New Orleans. Send Wiggins, Teague for Lebron. You get Towns, Butler and Lebron. Force a trade to New Orleans and maybe you could get AD and Cousins. Same with San Antonio although the Kawhi situation complicates that.

I think all those make better teams because they have players that compliment Lebron's skill set. I don't see anything about Simmons and Lebron working outside of great transition baskets.

[bebopdeluxe]

rookie Magic Johnson: 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 53% field shooting, 77 games
rookie Ben Simmons: 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 54% field shooting, 75 games

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

So...does that mean that Simmons will be an "injury risk" for the rest of his career - and should be valued that way?

(Gordon Hayward says hello)

Simmons has played the entire season - at an extremely high level. At what point does he come off of your "injury risk" list?

[mediocrityrules]

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

So...does that mean that Simmons will be an "injury risk" for the rest of his career - and should be valued that way?

(Gordon Hayward says hello)

Simmons has played the entire season - at an extremely high level. At what point does he come off of your "injury risk" list?

I would have thought that exactly what you stated would take him off any injury concern list. That is, playing out an entire season, at the usage that he has, at the level that he has, without missing a game.

[cksdayoff]

ben simmons just became the 2nd rookie ever to put up 1200 points, 600 rebounds and 600 assists. oscar robertson was the only other rookie

[downtownpie]

people went early on fultz.

[CoreyGallagher]

ben simmons just became the 2nd rookie ever to put up 1200 points, 600 rebounds and 600 assists. oscar robertson was the only other rookie

Becomes just the 10th player to ever hit those marks, in any season of their careers.

Wilt Chamberlain
Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
James Harden
Russell Westbrook
Lebron James
John Havlicek
Fat Lever
Ben Simmons

[RB34]

Simmons with 15/12/6 in 25 mins, dude is balling.

[WalterBenjamin]

Heard it here first. Fultz with his attitude in these few games is turning out to be one of the best on ball defenders in the NBA.

[kuclas]

rookie Magic Johnson: 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 53% field shooting, 77 games
rookie Ben Simmons: 15.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 54% field shooting, 75 games

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

Sixers were clearly tanking last season. When embiid got injury end of January 2017. They clearly saw no need to to bring Simmons back.

Look their rookie year korkman who’s barley planned got same foot injury in December 2017. Now is back playing for sixers.

So Simmons didn’t need to miss the entire season. It was sixers opportunity to tank cause they knew he was too good and could win games for them. Which would hurt their draft status.

[Sixersftw]

Heard it here first. Fultz with his attitude in these few games is turning out to be one of the best on ball defenders in the NBA.

He has Mr. Fantastic arms. So long and a much better defender than advertised.

[PLO]

ben simmons just became the 2nd rookie ever to put up 1200 points, 600 rebounds and 600 assists. oscar robertson was the only other rookie

Becomes just the 10th player to ever hit those marks, in any season of their careers.

Wilt Chamberlain
Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
James Harden
Russell Westbrook
Lebron James
John Havlicek
Fat Lever
Ben Simmons

Fat Lever is my all-time favorite NBA name, and I'm hoping current college player Fatts Russell makes his way to the NBA someday.

[michaelm]

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

Sixers were clearly tanking last season. When embiid got injury end of January 2017. They clearly saw no need to to bring Simmons back.

Look their rookie year korkman who’s barley planned got same foot injury in December 2017. Now is back playing for sixers.

So Simmons didn’t need to miss the entire season. It was sixers opportunity to tank cause they knew he was too good and could win games for them. Which would hurt their draft status.

[76thBearCub]

Heard it here first. Fultz with his attitude in these few games is turning out to be one of the best on ball defenders in the NBA.

He has Mr. Fantastic arms. So long and a much better defender than advertised.

His length is insane and he is a very willing and capable defender so far.

[michaelm]

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

Sixers were clearly tanking last season. When embiid got injury end of January 2017. They clearly saw no need to to bring Simmons back.

Look their rookie year korkman who’s barley planned got same foot injury in December 2017. Now is back playing for sixers.

So Simmons didn’t need to miss the entire season. It was sixers opportunity to tank cause they knew he was too good and could win games for them. Which would hurt their draft status.

Not unreasonable to speculate that the Sixers continued to tank last season, but you also can’t generalise to all players with an injury from what happens with one individual player.

There are players for whom that injury has been career ending, and Kevin Durant had to be shut down and then missed most of a season after returning early with such an injury.

[APettyJ]

But I thought Ben Simmons was an injury risk; I saw it written so many times a few months ago on these very boards. Where are those posters now?

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

Sixers were clearly tanking last season. When embiid got injury end of January 2017. They clearly saw no need to to bring Simmons back.

Look their rookie year korkman who’s barley planned got same foot injury in December 2017. Now is back playing for sixers.

So Simmons didn’t need to miss the entire season. It was sixers opportunity to tank cause they knew he was too good and could win games for them. Which would hurt their draft status.

Korkmaz did not have the same injury. He had a lisfranc fracture, not the same type of break that Simmons had. Simmons was not even cleared for practice until the season was practically over in April, never mind he would have been a rookie coming in with no real prep time and would not have hurt the Sixers draft spot.

[michaelm]

If you miss your entire rookie season, you're an injury risk until you prove you're not. This isn't even controversial.

Sixers were clearly tanking last season. When embiid got injury end of January 2017. They clearly saw no need to to bring Simmons back.

Look their rookie year korkman who’s barley planned got same foot injury in December 2017. Now is back playing for sixers.

So Simmons didn’t need to miss the entire season. It was sixers opportunity to tank cause they knew he was too good and could win games for them. Which would hurt their draft status.

Korkmaz did not have the same injury. He had a lisfranc fracture, not the same type of break that Simmons had. Simmons was not even cleared for practice until the season was practically over in April, never mind he would have been a rookie coming in with no real prep time and would not have hurt the Sixers draft spot.

My recollection is that he had a Jones fracture, which is what Durant also had.

[Tomjas]

IIRC, Simmons was shut down for the season in late February after an MRI revealed that the injury hadn't healed as well as hoped for.

[Tomjas]

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/julius-erving-has-high-praise-for-sixers-rookie-ben-simmons-20180403.html