Philadelphia 76ers: 3 goals for Ben Simmons going into next season

Improve jump shot and confidence taking shots

Its been four years since Ben Simmons was drafted first overall by the 76ers in the 2016 draft, and the biggest knock scouts had on his game coming out of LSU is still the most significant question mark to date.

Can Ben Simmons develop a consistent jump shot?

Elton Brand deserves some of the blame for the Sixers’ underachieving this past season. Brett Brown shoulders most of the responsibility and deservedly so, with his reputation for not holding players accountable and his inability to adjust the team’s style of play to suit the ever-changing roster.

But we cannot let Simmons off the hook so easily. His shooting or lack thereof has always been an issue. It is also something that Brown vocalized his displeasure with many times, and without a sharpshooter like Redick in the lineup to help stretch the floor, spacing was a significant and constant issue for the 76ers all season.

Even with his coach not only meeting with him in private but also publicly stating his desire for Simmons to attempt at least one 3-pointer per game, he remained hesitant to fire off any shots outside the restricted area.

In 217 career regular-season games, Simmons has attempted just 24 3-pointers with an 8.3 3-point percentage. Almost unheard of in today’s NBA, 99.1 percent of Simmons’ field goal attempts have come from within the arc.

During the NBA hiatus, Simmons teased fans with videos of him working out and training. In one video, you can see him making multiple shots from outside and insinuated that his jump shot would be on full display after the team got to Orlando.

When the 76ers entered the bubble, teammates and Brown raved to the media about Simmons’ willingness to take the open three at practice and expressed excitement to see it during live games. With so much hype surrounding his new jump shot, Simmons would go on to disappoint his fans and coaches once again.

In three exhibition games and three seeding games, Simmons attempted a measly three 3-pointers. He made just one of his three attempts, with his lone made 3-pointer coming in an exhibition matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

If Simmons can develop the confidence to unleash this outside shot that he shows everyone in pick-up games and team practices, he will not only unlock another element to his game and become closer to reaching his potential, but he will also raise the ceiling of the overall team.