The Philadelphia 76ers are looking a little different to begin these new practice days in Orlando. The Sixers are tinkering a bit more with their rotation as they have been starting Shake Milton at point guard in practice thus far and they have moved Ben Simmons over to the power forward spot.
A lot of this is still in the early days, but the idea is to create more spacing on the floor and allow Joel Embiid and Simmons more room to operate in the paint with a guy like Milton out on the perimeter and being an offensive threat. His shooting ability as well as being able to put the ball on the floor and create for himself is an addition that coach Brett Brown likes to have.
“It’s incredibly early, this is our fourth practice and we don’t really play a game until those first few days of August,” Brown explained. “So this is where I’ve started this particular camp with him with the ball and moving Ben all over the place.”
Simmons has praised Milton for his work in the past, but now that he is able to play with him in a new position and in a new light, there is a lot to like about his game. Especially when considering that he was shooting the lights out–51.2% from deep–in the final 20 games before the league suspension.
“He plays really well,” said the All-Star. “He can shoot the ball, he has a high IQ, he can get to the rim, he can finish. H’s just somebody you can play with and say something to him and he’ll put it in a play and try it out. That’s what you need in somebody like Shake. He’s developing still and he’s come a long way since the first day I’ve seen him play. He’s only getting better.”
The issue with trusting Milton in such a high-pressure situation like the playoffs is the fact that he is still a young guy. He is only 23-years old and in his second season in the league. There’s a lot for him to still try and learn and be the guy to lead a team to a championship, but his poise is something Brown likes to have.
“His mentality and composure albeit at a young age and then you amplify it out to an NBA Playoff environment, there’s a poise that he has as a person that everybody feels,” said the coach. “I think that that can help him navigate through a pressure situation of the NBA Playoffs and I do believe how he’s wired from a human perspective can help him deal with that environment in a more calm way.”
Philadelphia has a history of doing this with Simmons. They take the ball out of his hands in the playoffs–they did it in 2019 with Jimmy Butler–and they play him off the ball. However, in a close game situation, who gets the ball? Will it be Milton? Simmons? Maybe Josh Richardson?
“You think about that and about 800 other things all the time,” said Brown. “I think as it starts to heat up and with 50 seconds left, 102-102, what are you going to do? I’m always thinking about that and right now, I have come into camp and playing Ben Simmons all over the place. He does have the ball at times, I have played him as a 4-man, and so I suspect that that will continue and I will use him in many ways.”
Yes, the #Sixers have moved Ben Simmons to power forward. But who will be the primary ball handler in crunch-time? #Sixers coach Brett Brown was asked that question by the 🐐@TomMoorePhilly: pic.twitter.com/32KbqqUM2C
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) July 14, 2020
“He showed before coming here, before the league stopped, that he can be a huge piece for us,” added veteran Raul Neto. “He’s had great games, big games, he played great in LA in those two games, more against the Clippers. So I think he’s been practicing well and he’s got his place on this team. He’s doing a great job.”
Philadelphia gets back at it on August 1 against the Indiana Pacers. They will have time before then to make sure that they are all on the same page with Milton leading the way.