Brand confident Simmons is back to full health
Even before the NBA paused amid health concerns, the Sixers were having some medical issues of their own.
Ben Simmons had missed the last eight games and nine of the final 10 with a back injury of some severity. Joel Embiid, never far from a load-management night, had played the last game, but only after missing the previous five with a shoulder injury. Josh Richardson had missed four of the final five with a concussion. Tobias Harris, who rarely misses a game, made mention of a sore knee.
So even if the conditions for it were not what they would have welcomed, a lengthy pause in the NBA season gave the Sixers some unscheduled recovery time.
In particular, general manager Elton Brand Tuesday expressed deep confidence that the additional healing opportunity will leave Simmons available as soon as the Sixers resume playing.
“Thanks to technology, we have been able to maintain regular communications with our players and provide them with the proper resources to ensure their health and their wellness,”
Brand said. “Ben Simmons is doing really, really well. I give Ben and our medical staff a ton of credit for their hard work throughout his recovery. And I give Ben so much credit for working so hard through this unknown time.
“Fortunately, we’ve able to arrange for him to continue to get the treatment and rehab he needs during this hiatus. And I’m very optimistic he’ll be able to play, if and when we’re given that green light to resume.”
According to Brand, Simmons “and others” were given permission to use the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden, N.J., to continue rehab, though not for basketball purposes. The general manager indicated that the opportunity for therapy has been valuable.
“It’s essential that they can get the proper equipment that they can work out in rehab,” Brand said. “So that’s where he’s been. He’s been doing that ever since the first week.”
Embiid, too, has kept in shape, Brand assured.
“He’s been working out,” he said. “He’s been focused. He’s asking about when his trainer can come in, when he can get on the court. I wouldn’t bet against him. He’s going to be ready to ramp up.”
Brand said Harris is also among the Sixers receiving treatments.
Though the NBA is willing to allow teams in states with modified limits on work to begin some informal workouts as soon as Friday, neither Pennsylvania nor New Jersey are among those states. Brand said he is monitoring the situation closely in Wilmington, where the Sixers maintain a high-level workout facility to accommodate the G-League Blue Coats. Delaware, though, has not yet relaxed its social-distancing policies.
Until then, the Sixers will try to use the suspension of play to any possible advantage. Might Simmons even return as a better outside shooter?
“Ben is a two-time AllStar, a dynamic player at both ends,” Brand said. “We’re going to encourage him to shoot. And once he unlocks that part of his game, it is just going to
open it up for his growth and become even more unstoppable and help our team.
“But where he is, he is very dominant and very hyper-focused on both ends to help us win. He wants to make the right play. And at times, he might not feel that is the right play. But he is going to grow into that.”
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The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25. With teams unable to work out players individually, general managers will face new challenges.
“Vince Rozman (the Sixers’ director of scouting) did a great job last year and is doing a great job this year,” Brand said. “He is doing a lot of deep dives, a lot of film work. I’ve been talking to a lot of agents, players, families. With potentially five picks, we think this is a deep draft. I’m excited.”
According to Brand, the Sixers were one of the earliest teams to pull their scouts from the road to concentrate on video.
The Sixers are tentatively scheduled to select No. 22 overall in the first round. They also are projected to have picks 34, 36, 49 and 59 in the second round.
“We’re going to keep all options open,” Brand said. “I’m fortunate to have a great core to build around. I think this is going to be a great draft class. But we are going to explore all options to add youth and depth to our program.”