RADIO
Ben Simmons 2019 Player Outlook
5 years agoPhiladelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons isn’t going to suddenly become a jump shooting threat from behind the three-point line in the 2019-2020 NBA season, but the third-year guard will be able to make a major fantasy impact in nearly every other way. Simmons is one of the NBA’s most gifted passers and averaged 7.7 assists per game last season, a number that should go up a little now that Jimmy Butler isn’t a Sixer, as Butler was getting some of the ball-handling duties down the stretch. Philadelphia replaced Butler with Josh Richardson and Al Horford, two players who should thrive playing with Simmons. It’s possible those two cut a little into Simmons’ scoring upside, but he should still average somewhere around 15 points per game on 55 percent shooting. Simmons can frustrate you with his offensive game as he avoids jump shooting, but that type of play also allows for him to contribute a strong field goal percentage. Meanwhile, Simmons is a point guard with the size of a forward, which helps him be one of the best rebounders for his position. He grabbed 8.8 boards per night last season. His free throw shooting is a negative, but overall Simmons is a strong pick in the early rounds of fantasy drafts, especially for owners who are punting three-pointers.
