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The Sixers’ new head coach shares the anti-label stance of his 24-year-old All-Star.
In response to a question Tuesday about Ben Simmons’ leadership responsibilities, Doc Rivers said he had not decided on a single conventional post for Simmons, and he doesn’t think that’s a problem.
“The leadership problem I’m not worried about right now,” Rivers said. “I kind of let that manifest itself through his playing, his practice habits and his example. But because he’s going to have the ball so much in his hands, he has to figure out every night what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to get. And he has to be able to convey that to everyone in the field. He must become a great student of our attack, of the defense of the opponent. He has to know every position on the court and understand where everyone should be, and he has to express that. So he will.
“Ben is a great decision maker. Is Ben a leader? Honestly, I don’t care. I don’t even know it yet. But I do know one thing, if you can put it in space downhill, the ball gets to the right place, and so we want to do it as much as we can.
If the Sixers’ offense revolves around Simmons handling the ball and putting pressure on the defense, it’s true that an official position doesn’t matter much. The biggest questions would be how often Simmons is parked off the ball and which guard (or guards) is on the field with him. Simmons’ pairing with Seth Curry is promising, and Rivers suggested on Tuesday that he likes Shake Milton as a second-unit ball manager, but there is still a lot to be determined.
The fact that Simmons suffered a season-ending left knee injury just three games after the Sixers’ bubble stay means Rivers doesn’t have a ton of tapes to review with him in a ‘point forward’ role. . Another factor that could be considered relevant is Simmons’ improved efficiency on elbows and paint strokes in the second half of the season.
Instead of juggling anything that might be relevant to Simmons ‘offensive role, Rivers wants to keep things relatively simple and accentuate Simmons’ strengths. The Australian’s jumper is a well-known weakness, and Rivers reiterated that he didn’t find him worrying and had no intention of setting quotas.
“… I don’t care as much about shooting Ben as so many other people seem to care,” he said. “I care that he’s a great player and I’m going to let him play. I’ll give him the keys and let him play freely. If he doesn’t take any pictures, I’m fine. If he takes 10, I’m fine. If he gets to the line 15 times, I’m fine.
“Ben is bright enough that I allow him to play and not get in his way and darken his head with a bunch of bullshit, you know.” It’s about winning, and that’s what I want Ben to focus on – how to improve and win.
Rivers noted that he plans to perform more pick-and-rolls than the Sixers under Brett Brown, including with Simmons and Joel Embiid. The way the defenses sagged on Simmons has limited possibilities as a pick-and-roll ball handler in the past for him and the team.
Simmons has shown intriguing potential as a Roller Man, and Brown has had occasional success with the comfortable Simmons-Embiid pick-and-rolls as well. However, pick-and-rolls with Simmons as the traditional ball handler might not be very productive until opponents recognize him as a threat to shoot.
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