Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers recently reveals that he is not particularly fussing about the Sixers Point Guard position.
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Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers have already made peace that Ben Simmons will not be playing for them this season.
The All-Star point guard made up his mind as soon as his head coach and fellow All-Star teammate Joel Embiid threw him under the bus after the playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young.
Ever since that incident, the relationship between the player and the franchise turned sour. It became so bad to the point that Simmons didn’t return to Philly even for training camp. He’s eager to leave, and the team is trying to catch a big offer for him, which isn’t easy right now.
It became clear the 76ers asking price for Simmons was steep. Philadelphia was looking for a premium return whether it was a star player, multiple first-round picks, or both. So far, a deal hasn’t happened.
Rivers on #Sixers‘ PG battle:”Shake probably spaces the floor better with his shot. Maxey gives us the speed though. Both are learning how to be playmakers & run the team. Shake definitely is ahead of Maxey defensively.They both are pressuring the ball which I’m very happy with.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 9, 2021
Until it does, the 76ers will have to figure something out to combat the Point Guard problem.
Doc Rivers Isn’t Worried About What Sixers Don’t Have at Point Guard
The Ben Simmons drama leaves the Sixers with a void to fill, but they’re not panicking right now.
Talking about their current point guard situation, Rivers explained –
“I’m fine. Like, if you can get one, great. I don’t worry about what we don’t have. You are talking to the wrong guy. We’re gonna win with what we have. That’s the way it is.”
He goes on to say –
“I’ve always thought there’s a lot of guys that can play, and you figure it out. There’s a lot of teams — a lot of teams that don’t have pure point guards. You just play with the guys you have and create your offense that way.”
Without Simmons around, it leaves young bench players such as Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey to cover for him. However, Maxey and Milton each had a rough game in at least one of the two first outings in the preseason. As a result, many suggest the Sixers might need to find a natural point before it is too late.
Rivers on #Sixers‘ PG battle:”Shake probably spaces the floor better with his shot. Maxey gives us the speed though. Both are learning how to be playmakers & run the team. Shake definitely is ahead of Maxey defensively.They both are pressuring the ball which I’m very happy with.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 9, 2021
Even without the 25-year-old guard, Rivers is confident his team will do well this NBA season. However, with powerhouses like Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks in their path, it seems very hard for the 76ers to represent the East in the Finals.
Right now, it doesn’t seem like Simmons and the Sixers can come to some sort of agreement. Until they do, both parties will remain in a stalemate.