Former NBA Champion Defends Ben Simmons Against the Criticism; Explains Why Teams Should Trade for Him

With the recent developments on the Ben Simmons trade saga, the trade is increasingly becoming a question of if than when. Almost no teams around the league have and are willing to sacrifice enough assets to satisfy the 76ers’ demands.

Even though many rumors strongly link his trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it seems unlikely that the two teams will find a common ground. Especially considering that the Wolves have clarified in explicit terms that they are not willing to include D’Angelo Russell in a trade.

76ers PG Ben Simmons has been linked to Timberwolves for months with D’Angelo Russell not made available to Philly.

Where would Simmons fit?

Shawn Marion tells ⁦@BallySports⁩ Simmons would fit anywhere b/c of his unique skill set.

Here’s more from our dialogue. pic.twitter.com/IFQhbjnU2v

— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) October 24, 2021

With that context, it is important to understand whether Ben Simmons would fit in any of the teams that might be interested in him. Former NBA Champion Shawn Marion explained how Simmons has an impressive skill-set that will help him fit into any team.

Former All-Star explains how the NBA is underestimating Ben Simmons

As a forward, 6 feet 7 inches tall, Shawn Marion knew exactly how his situation was alike Ben Simmons’. In an interview with Bally Sports’ Scoop B Robinson, he said that throughout his career, even he faced criticism about not having a strong jump-shot. However, in that process, they forgot about all the things that he did on the court.

Jun 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) blocks a shot by Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the second half during game six in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Simmons is also a versatile player on the court. He does many things on the court except for shooting the jump-shot with confidence. Marion believes Ben is working on his jump-shot and will eventually use it in the league as well. However, that should not mean that Ben’s other contributions on the floor should be overlooked.

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What does this mean for Simmons and the 76ers?

Many believe Simmons can use his unique skill-set, especially in defending and passing to help an offense-heavy team like the Timberwolves. While 76ers legend Charles Barkley pointed out that he has seen this cycle of Ben posting videos that go viral. And yet he refuses to use it in a game. So, according to him, we shouldn’t be hopeful of any improvement in Ben’s game.

So after all the development over the off-season, will the 76ers be welcome the idea of trusting in Ben again? Or will he have to first prove himself in order to gain the trust of the front office and the fans?

Let us know what you think about it all.

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