NBA: Favorites For Rookie Of The Year After Ben Simmons Injury

Jul 12, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball during an NBA Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at Thomas & Mack Center. Golden State won the game 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jul 9, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) gestures from the court during an NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

Honorable Mention: Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Position: Point Forward
Age: 20 (7/20/1996)
Drafted: Round 1, Pick 1
2015-16 Slash Line: .560/.333/.670
2015-16 Season Averages: 34.9 MPG, 19.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 3.1 ORPG, 4.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG

For the sake of listing five other favorites, Simmons is left as the honorable mention. Simmons is still a fair pick to win Rookie of the Year, but it’s certainly possible that another player will thrive in his absence.

It’s unlikely that anyone will perform at a higher level than Simmons, but again, missing two months of the regular season would give other players time to shine.

Simmons is the most NBA-ready rookies in this incoming class of players. Two of the only other players who even compare in that regard happen to be his teammates—Joel Embiid and Dario Saric—which could make his comeback a gradual process.

If Embiid or Saric are thriving, then it’s unlikely that their touches will severely decline in order to get Simmons his touches.

Having said that, Simmons is a gifted facilitator who could physically overwhelm many NBA veterans. He won’t be an MVP-caliber player right away, but he could produce obscene numbers.

For what it’s worth, only one player has won Rookie of the Year while missing at least 15 games since Patrick Ewing in 1985-86: Brandon Roy in 2006-07. Roy played 57 games that year.