Philadelphia 76ers news: New coach Doc Rivers is keen on breaking Embiid-Simmons duo
It appears that Rivers is convinced that the Embiid-Simmons duo is not a winning combination.
Barely a month since Doc Rivers took the helm of the Philadelphia 76ers, the new coach is already making big moves to create "his team." Rumors are flying that both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are being traded to build an entirely new 76ers.
According to Pro Sports Daily, both players are the core of the current 76ers team. Simmons is a 6'10" point guard with no shooting ability, but is a monstrous playmaker due to his speed in attacking the basket. He is an unorthodox, but effective player. Last season, he averaged 16.4 points, grabbed 7.8 rebounds, and 8 assists a game. While his field goal percentage is a whopping 58% due to his dunking ability, his three-point, perimeter, even free throw numbers are well below league averages. There are rumors that he is being traded for James Harden of the Houston Rockets or Gordon Hayward of the Boston Celtics.
Joel Embiid is a reliable power center scoring 23 points and grabbing 11.6 rebounds a game. He is one of the few consistent double-double centers in the league that can do the job on both the court's offensive and defensive end. There are rumors that he is being traded for Rudy Gobert, the Utah starting center, who is known for his rebounding and defending ability.
Rivers' plan sounds simple enough, take the league's best scorer in the past few years, and one of the best defensive big men in the league and build a team around them.
Doc Rivers was previously the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. He stepped down as head coach back on September 28, after the second seed Clippers powered by two-superstars, including the 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Other than Rivers correcting a mistake he made with the Clippers, it appears that Rivers is convinced that the Embiid-Simmons duo is not a winning combination.
Regardless of the improved performance of the 76ers and the young age of both Simmons and Embiid, It appears that Rivers would instead bet on a whole new 76ers team than improve the Embiid-Simmons duo with a supporting cast.
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