Ben Simmons Brings Much-Needed Depth, Hustle Play to Clippers Squad

The Clippers are a big market team with big market potential. They have no trouble bringing in all-star players, nor do they have issues landing high talent. That’s why, once the dust settled from all the exciting moves at the trade deadline, they were able to sign Ben Simmons.

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

The ex number one pick was a hot commodity who garnered interest from multiple teams. His decision to go to LA, while not as exciting as other splashy trades, was a critical choice.

On paper it brought a lot of depth to a team that doesn’t have a particularly strong bench while also taking pressure off of stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

Despite that, many were suspicious of the move. Simmons is still young, but his last few years have not been the best. Even so, two games into his stint with LA, and he’s showing how much value he can bring to the team.

Filling a Key Role

Simmons is a solid all-around athlete. He’s a tall guard who can score from various places on the court, defend different types of players, and has a good basketball IQ. He came out strong in the NBA, but has been steadily slipping over the past few seasons.

During his first four seasons with the 76ers, Simmons averaged anywhere between 13.6 and 16.9 points a game. He also did a great job dishing the ball out and crashing the boards, averaging around 8 assists and rebounds each year too.

After that, his offensive output dropped dramatically

He’s averaged 6.9, 6.1, and 6.2 points a game over the past three seasons. Where he shined was in the other two categories. He still averaged 6.3/7.9/5.2 rebounds and 6.1/5.7/6.9 assists a game.

Those splits are exactly why the Clippers showed so much interest in him and why they believed he could help elevate their roster to the next level.

A Little Bit of Everything

Simmons made his debut last week against the Jazz, and he shined in a big, big way. He scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out six assists, and recorded three steals. That wide spread is exactly what LA hoped he would bring to the table.

Simmons is not someone who needs to do a lot of one thing. The Clippers are still headed by Harden and Leonard, with Normal Powell offering some solid offense as well. Simmons doesn’t need to be a superstar in that mix, he just needs to be a key gear in a much bigger machine.

“He did everything we asked him to do,” center Ivica Zubac said after Simmons’ debut against Utah

“When they doubled James [Harden], he was really good flashing in the middle and play-making from there. It was great, man. It was all that we expected and more. I think he played great, and I think he’s going to be huge for us.”

Zubac was far from the only one impressed with Simmons. Head coach Tyronn Lue also spoke highly about his play. His other teammates also chimed in.

“It’s easy to play basketball with smart players,” said forward Nicolas Batum. “That’s why he was the number one pick. That’s why he was an all-star…He just needs to get his confidence back. And I’ve been there. I’ve been in his shoes five years ago. I think he came to the right spot to get it.”

Striving for Consistency

Proving his team right, Simmons continued his do-everything style of play on Thursday night against the Bucks. Though the Clippers didn’t win the game, the guard scored six points while recording five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.

That second game is a big deal because it showed the first was no fluke

He’s doing everything he can to help his team, even if it won’t show up on a highlight reel.

In addition, Simmons played 20 minutes in his second game. His ability to give the starters a key break without letting the game slip away is invaluable and puts him far above other role players who might not have the same amount of talent.

Rounding Out the Roster

Simmons has been a far cry from his old self the last couple of seasons. Even so, the Clippers are a team on the edge of the playoffs and they need all the help they can get. Leonard, Powell, and Harden are a great trio, but the team doesn’t have much depth beyond that.

The bench has been quite lackluster

They also don’t have too many scorers. That then leads to an overreliance on their stars to win games. While such play might get a few victories here and there, it’s far from what the Clippers need if they want to make a deep run.

Simmons won’t take over games or live up to his first overall pick potential. Some teams might want that from him, but in LA, on a team with two future hall of famers, he just needs to contribute.