The rumors of a blow-up in Philadelphia have been circulating for months, after the high-priced stars on the 76ers roster never fully discovered their chemistry.
Now, with Ben Simmons heading out to the NBA playoffs with a knee injury, the Sixers’ chances in the bubble seem bleak. Could the Philly flus that one of her stars in Simmons act as Joel Embiid immediately become a reality? The Warriors will surely lurk if that is the case.
Both players are young and enormously talented, making them very attractive trading targets for any team in the NBA.
Which of the two should the Warriors pursue the most? According to former general manager of Warriors and Hall of Fame inductor Chris Mullin, who recently joined the podcast of Runnin ‘Plays, he is the big man.
“I would go Embiid,” Mullin decided after some consultation. “I love Simmons … I just feel with the way Steve plays, he still loves to settle inside-out.”
[RUNNIN’ PLAYS PODCAST: Listen to the latest episode]
Mullin stated that the Warriors do not enter in the traditional way, and use Draymond as a passer in the split action, but it goes without saying that the team still appreciates a large presence.
At 7 feet and 250 pounds, Embiid is an impressive physical specimen. The 26-year-old is a three-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, and two-time All-Defense pick. He can transfer opponents under the edge, and step outside and nail a 3-pointer. When he plays at his best, Embiid is one of the most dominant players in the NBA.
He would also be a perfect couple with Steph Curry. They would form an unbelievable pick-and-roll partnership. Embiid’s defense alongside Draymond Green would create the most formidable defensive court in the NBA, and his willingness and ability to pass the ball out of the block would create many open shots for Klay Thompson.
While the NBA has moved to smaller lineups and away from the traditional big man, Mullin still sees how important someone like Embiid can be to the Warriors,
“I’m interested to see how Houston goes through these playoffs,” Mullin said. “I like small ball better than anyone, but there’s still a balance, I still think there’s a balance to the game of basketball. If you do only one thing, and one thing only, you can you do not win like that.That’s why the Warriors are so special when they, on that five year run, yes, they shot a lot of 3s, but they shot a lot of free throws, they shot a lot of mid-range, they got layups , their assists were on, they played the whole game “
The biggest blow to Embiid, however, is his divorce history. The big man has dealt with a wide variety of health issues, which can definitely give teams some hesitation to get involved with many future assets for him.
So how’s Simmons doing? The two-time NBA All-Star at just 24 years old and is a 6-foot-10 incredibly versatile athlete. He can process duty points, or even slide inward to place his back to the court in the form of a force forward. His unique ability to make the fastbreak and finish above the rim, with its size, makes him dangerous in motion. He is also one of the top defenders in the NBA, and uses his physical strengths and athleticism to protect all positions well.
The biggest criticism of Simmons, however, is his inability or better yet, unwillingness to try outside shoes. At this point in his career, he is not a threat from the midrange or from deep, which can sometimes close the routes for his teammates. So far, he has built up this inability by speaking out in all other aspects of the game.
[RELATED: Steph celebrates Embiid’s first signature Under Armour shoe]But to Mullin’s, at the end of the day, Embiid’s dominance is downright too difficult to continue.
“I love small ball, but I still want some big boys,” Mullin said. “I want something physical, I want some pressure on the edge, and on a given night when I wrestle in Game 6 on the road, I can throw it at someone just to get a foul and stop the bleeding.”
“I would go Embiid.”
