Yup exactly, and he never improved each season after his rookie year. If you ever listen to him speak and talk, dude clearly is full of himself and seems to be around a bunch of yes man instead of people pushing him actually get better and work on his weaknesses. Even after that playoff disaster for him, people were open and wanted him on this team. Some even went as far as saying trade Dame for him and pieces lol, where are those people now? I was always pushing back on Simmons talk and saying stay the heck away. Glad we did.
Some people* Others staunchly never wanted anything to do with this guy and were ready to be MAD if he ended up here.
If that was a vetting process to join S2, there’d only be about 10 guys here and the Bay Area Cat Lady.
Correct me if I’m wrong. But he had back surgery after his first 4 years. he never improved his first 4 years in the league when healthy. And you know how he hurt his back? After trying to get back into NBA shape after he was a crybaby and sat out a whole season waiting for the Sixers to trade him and refused to show up and play for them again.
Sure. You’re wrong. He improved after his stellar rookie season. Later he made an All NBA 3rd team, and 2x all defensive 1st teams. His career was derailed by injuries and he struggled with mental health stuff. His messy exit from Philly doesn’t erase the awesome first years he had there.
I was talking about back surgery bro, I was wrong about him not having surgery until after his 5 season in the NBA? 4 when he played and 1 where he sat out the whole season? He didn't have any back issues prior to get drafted which was the main point here as someone mentioned above. His career derailed by injury? You mean, the same injury he caused by not staying in basketball shape during his time he was sitting out and not playing for the Sixers? Him sitting out a whole season was a dumb move, got shit on my many peers in the NBA and quite frankly is a bitch move and shows he isn't mentally strong. And he got paid for that whole season, weak move on his part. Seems like he should be the reason for his own injures. And he was the same player 4 years into his career than after his rookie season, that's improvement to you? For a #1 pick in the draft? lol
You’re glossing over whatever you want trying to make your point. Ben was already missing games with back issues in early 2020. Sorry that doesn’t fit your narrative about his sit-out season. And lol about him not getting better. He was an all star wasn’t he? He made all defensive first teams and an all nba 3rd team didn’t he?
Those only signify recognition, not improvement. The numbers don't show any actual improvement over his rookie year.
This is less likely to happen the higher you pick. It doesn't mean it can't happen, it just means that it's less likely to happen. We've had plenty of head cases picked in the teens and twenties...
Did you read the context of this discussion when it comes to his injury? Someone said its 'Tough to scout when someone just has head issues' then someone said "just mental issues?" and "he has back surgery twice" basically referring that he had a back injury prior to getting drafted with isn't true. He had no back injuries coming into the NBA....so that was the whole point of this... and second, doesn't mean he improved did it? He was a great defender coming into the NBA and he stayed a good defender until he got hurt...but the other part of his game, mainly offensively, never improved and actually got worse as his career went on.. Did you forgot how he basically folded in the playoffs with the Sixers in his last season and basically was so shot with confidence that he was scared to take any shots in the 4th quarter in his last series with them? Ben Simmons 4th quarter that series: Game 1: 2-2 FG Game 2: 0-0 FG Game 3: 1-1 FG Game 4: 0-0 FG Game 5: 0-0 FG Game 6: 0-0 FG Game 7: 0-0 FG Yet, he isn't a mental midget? Or let's look at his overall 4th quarter stats as a whole in his career, when the game matters the most... Ben Simmons has averaged 3.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 290 games in the fourth quarter in his career. Dude never improved, point blank
You do realize ben was picked with the #1 pick right? Do we want to talk about Kwame Brown? Anthony Bennett? Andea Bargnani? I guess Markel Fultz didn't come to mind? The verdict on Portland's own Deandre Ayton is that he is ranked in the top 10 of the worst ever #1 picks. Seriously in the last 25 years you have 8 of the worst #1 picks ever to come along. That doesn't include this last year that might be another bust? Your "Higher the pick the better" holds some water but the numbers are not great.
The percentages take all of those guys into consideration. Once again, nobody has said #1 is a guarantee. Nobody said #1 or bust. It's about doing it consecutively and building your stable of more talented players rather than less talented players. You still have to draft well if you want the best shot. You still have to have good scouting if you want the best shot. But you're MORE LIKELY to be successful picking higher in the draft. Much more likely if you do it consecutively. Anecdotal points are taken into account. You can name successes and failures anywhere. But you're far more likely to pick successes higher in the draft and far more likely to pick failures lower than draft. We have to opportunity to give ourselves the best shot right now. What we don't want to do is be wishing we had done it 5 years from now. Picking twice in the top 5 we have even or better odds at getting a player who turns into a better player than Simons or Grant. There is no other way for us to go out and get that kind of player. Other than luck.
Nah dude is a bust and everyone knows this. You can't even play the guy in the 4th quarter of a close game. Total metal issues. Do you remember the guy refusing to practice in Oct 2021? It wasn't a back problem. it was a head case problem. I don't even buy the surgery stuff? That very likely could have simply been a ruse to try to keep up some kind of value. Three years in a row we have heard how Ben is way better now. Lets see where we go this year. I'm willing to bet it's same ol same ol.
Keep bangin that drum bro. That's literally 36% chance of a bust at number one that you are pushing the team to tank for and get 14% chance at getting. Seriously these are shockingly bad numbers? Tanking is no guarantee of anything.
I haven't said anything other than what you just said. I have literally said tanking is no guarantee. What I have also said is that it is our BEST CHANCE. And it is. What do we give up with tanking? Nothing. We risk NOTHING. But the payoff could be HUGE.
