You can already see the Kobe/Shaq strife coming a mile away.

Let’s assume Embiid stays relatively healthy(most likely won’t but still), who do you take if you’re forced to choose?

Simmons is the easy answer for me. I know Ltg disagrees. Curious what others think.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Simmons is like a combination of Kobe and LeBron lite. I'll take him because this isn't the 80s.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Since all Sixers come in hobbled I don’t think you can choose one over the other. But Simmons is more versatile.

Simmons is a combination of Magic and LeBron, I see very little of Kobe in him. His court vision is at least as good as LeBron, he's several inches taller and at this age his low post game is more advanced. He is however not as devastating as an athlete and his jumper is not as good as LeBron's at the same age.

Eh, not really. Embiid is as versatile as they come. Scoring in the paint, mid range shooting, three point shooting, can take defenders off the dribble, protect the rim, distribute out of the post. He can do it all. If everything goes according to plan and they both stay healthy I think Embiid is at least as good as Simmons and maybe a bit better due to his more advanced shooting and even greater size and ability in the paint.

He has a little bit of that Mamba mentality. He wants to be the man and be the best.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

He’s only a bit taller and he’s a devastating athlete in his own right. Other than I agree. He’s still figuring it out and already great. When he puts it together (doesn’t even necessarily mean getting a jumper) he’s gonna own the league for 7-9 years.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Simmons two way potential is literally off the charts.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I see that in Giannis and Kobe has also said that as well. Simmons? I don't necessarily see that in him as of yet. I find him unbelievably impressive as a 21 year old but I don't know if I see that Jordan, Kobe, Bird killer in him just yet.

I see what Nas is saying and agree. Simmons carries himself likes he’s the best player in he league already. It’s a rare trait in even great players. It’s one of the things I loved about Kawhi despite his quiet demeanor.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Well, a healthy Embiid couldn’t get the Sixers the the playoffs sans Simmons. Embiid is hurt and they haven’t skipped a beat.

As long as they can co-exist with their role players and core they can go anywhere.

Easy answer....Simmons

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I'm not sure what season you're referring to, Embiid has never been even remotely healthy prior to this season. Last year was the first year Embiid every played in the NBA and he only played in 31 games. You're blaming him for not leading the 76ers to the playoffs when he missed 51 out of 82 games?

I’m not blaming him for anything. Are the Sixers suffering without him? Can’t really say they are.

I agree but I was wrong on Embiid. He’s shown enough where’s it’s a legit question.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

You said he wasn't able to get the 76ers to the playoffs without Simmons when last year was his first year in the league and he missed the majority of the season due to injury, your comment made no sense. Right now they're playing very impressive basketball but they were beating teams at the end of the season when a lot of teams had already packed it in and now they've won 1 game in the playoffs against a lower seed. The 76ers have a lot of talent on that roster besides Embiid and Simmons, they can easily be viewed as the team of the future in that conference. Everything is still predicted on both Simmons and Embiid staying healthy, if they want to make any real noise in the postseason they must have Embiid healthy.

Well, that’s the problem.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I don’t think they can be viewed as the team of the future in the East yet. Celtics we ridiculously loaded.

In regard to your last sentence, I’d say that’s true this year. Not going forward.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Of their last 16 wins to end the season 12 of them came against the Knicks, Nets, Mavericks, Hawks, Magic, Grizzlies, Hornets and Pistons. What they did at the end of the regular season is still very impressive and now into the NBA playoffs but you need to have a little bit of perspective. Even the win tonight, it was very impressive but it came against the Heat. . . a team which wouldn't even make the playoffs if they were in the western conference.

OK take what I say with a grain of salt, man. I know Embiid has a history of injuries and I’m saying his absence isn’t really infringing on them winning. I’ve said before I’m not sure how deep a run they make this year but I’m putting more stock in Simmons running point than Embiid being the man. When he was healthy and Simmons was hurt, they weren’t doing this much damage. I don’t believe a fully healthy Embiid last year gets them the 3rd seed in the playoffs.

Keep in mind that this team has zero playoff experience with each other. Forget the seed. Look at what Portland’s doing tonight against a lower seed.

The problem with that statement is that last season it was just Embiid, Simmons has had 63 games of Embiid this season. They have also added one of the best shooters in NBA history in JJ Reddick and recently have added an excellent role player in Ilyasova. The roster isn't the same as last season even when ignoring the addition of Simmons.

I think Simmons without Embiid can survive better than t’other way around. That’s all I’m saying.

I could be proven wrong. If I am, you’ll be my first stop to making amends.

Even still. There’s nothing even resembling a real PG on this roster outside of Simmons. Without Simmons and Embiid on the floor McConnell is useless and Fultz is way too new.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

You’re not wrong. Your take has my approval. All that’s needed.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Sixers were 25-25 shortly before the all-star break and before acquiring Belinelli. Since acquiring Belinelli they've gone something around 24-5?

JJ Reddick wasn't on the team last year.

İlyasova finished out last season on the Hawks. He had 17 points and 14 rebounds in tonight's game and was 3rd in minutes (32 mins) behind Belinelli (33 minutes) and Simmons (34 mins).

Seems like they've put together a roster the members of which were able to quickly adapt to and adopt a style of play--on both ends of the floor-- that works very well with the personnel. Maybe because several of them come from a euro-ball background.

Wholeheartedly disagree with the Kobe/Shaq comparison.

Simmons is too unselfish of a player for this to ever be an issue. Kobe was a gunner and a guy chasing Jordan's legacy from the moment he entered the league.

Simmons doesn't take bad shots and invariably will make the right basketball play more often than not.

He and Embiid appear to be team first guys. Kobe was always focused on being "the Man" on the Lakers.

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Easy to say that now. Once they win their first title and the Disease of More sets in, things can change quickly.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Now is the only evidence that we have to go by.

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I forgot LTG was a Mamba hater too.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Since we are all in a bumping/gotcha sort of move here is an oldie but goodie.

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