Many have questioned the fit between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, but the Philadelphia 76ers may have finally discovered how to best utilize both of their talents.
Sixers head coach Brett Brown told reporters on Monday that Simmons has been playing exclusively at the power forward position over the last few days, per Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“Watching him and Joel play off each other has been a really good look,” Brown said. “I think they have been fantastic together … Really killing it in practice, in the environment, I just said.”
Simmons usually plays the point guard position, and roughly 81 percent of his career minutes have come at that spot (per Basketball Reference). But second-year guard Shake Milton, who rose to prominence when Simmons went down with a back injury in February, has been the Sixers’ starting point guard thus far during practice in Orlando.
At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, Simmons does already have the physical build of a power forward. Playing him closer to the basket as Embiid floats closer to the perimeter could also benefit Philly from a spacing standpoint. The Sixers have admitted to some chemistry issues this season, so perhaps a positional switch by Simmons can help mitigate some of those issues in Orlando.
