Danny Green, who joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2020, signed again with the franchise after a season. Most assumed the decision was driven by the usual factors — team fit, title aspirations, and perhaps the presence and influence of Joel Embiid. But Green had a different reason.
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His move was rooted in how well his game meshed with a teammate who, at the time, was still considered a cornerstone of the franchise. And, it wasn’t Embiid. It was Ben Simmons.
While not sought after for his scoring prowess, Simmons is valued for his unique blend of size, defense, and elite court vision that made life easier for everyone around him. For a shooter like Green, that kind of player as a teammate was gold. Simmons was the engine that created the shots Green thrived on.
That 2020–21 season saw Green attempt more threes per game than at any other point in his career, and he credits Simmons for providing those clean looks at the basket. His passing unlocked Green’s role as a spot-up shooter. And the chemistry was enough to convince the veteran that it was worth sticking around.
“I actually signed back because of Ben. I liked playing with Ben, I had my career high in three-point attempts playing with Ben. I was getting six a game,” said Green on All The Smoke. Of course, that was before everything fell apart. And Green watched it happen in real-time.
It was the 2021 NBA playoffs. Green recalled Simmons passing up the wide-open dunk in the playoff game against the Atlanta Hawks, a decision that left the entire team in disbelief. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, when Atlanta had a two-point lead with over three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Simmons had that opportunity.
For reasons best known to him, he decided to pass the ball to Matisse Thybulle. The 28-year-old, sandwiched between two defenders, missed the shot. Atlanta went on to win the game and the series.
“I think a lot of people were concerned, like, something was going on. We didn’t know what was going on,” Green recalled, before revealing that Simmons also had a COVID scare right before the game.
The team wasn’t sure if he would play the game or not. Regardless of what happened in that game and in Simmons’ career over the past few years, Green still considers him a great player. He believes that before Simmons’ struggles took over, he was a force to be reckoned with.
