NBA Exclusive: Simmons Should Use Break To Work On Shooting, Cannot Avoid It Forever

In the opinion of renowned book author and American sportswriter Roland Lazenby, Ben Simmons is an almost complete player. And the deficiency that the 25-year-old has is no big secret - his shooting.

Lazenby took time out with this writer and spoke on Sports Bytes PH on Thursday, Sept. 23. It was purely about NBA topics with Ben Simmons at the top of the list.

The 69-year-old likened the Philadelphia 76ers to a wolfpack with Simmons being a very expensive wolf.

“It was not a good playoff for Ben Simmons. He is a player who is easy to admire. He is a giving player, he is a ball distributor. He is a fine defender. There are a lot of values in the game that Ben Simmons exemplifies,” Lazenby explained.

“But if there is someone on the court who, for some reason, cannot make shots, well it’s like a wolfpack. The weak members get eliminated early,” he added.

He went on to explain that Simmons has been known for a long time with these deficiencies. Lazenby feels that Simmons has not done the deserved work to address his poor shooting to get proper confidence.

Lazenby did not discount that Simmons may have been trying but the effort may not yet be enough for the former NBA Rookie of the Year to take that outside shot.

“Well, my first hope is that he is in a gym all summer shooting. Ultimately I don’t care where he plays. The game doesn’t change,” Lazenby explained.

He further explained that working on his shooting stroke is something that Simmons cannot run away from. Regardless of what team he ends up with, it will return and haunt him.,

“You may be able to drop to a team such as Minnesota, which could obviously use this very talented guy. But if that team is going to advance with you, those questions (shooting) are going to re-appear,” Lazenby said.

The 69-year-old sportswriter clarified that Simmons just has to prove he can shoot it from outside. However, he does not have to be a dead-eye to put critics to rest.

“It doesn’t mean that he needs to be a drop-dead shooter. Ben Simmons has a lot of fundamentals that are better than other players. He is a better ball distributor, he is a better defender, a better passer. He is a presence on the floor that can oversee the defense. But this (Simmon’s shooting) is an issue,” Lazenby explained.