Ben Simmons’ defense is already elite

Everyone who watches the Philadelphia 76ers focuses on what Simmons struggles to do. Focusing on the negative and creating hot takes from that draws eyes to headlines. But, the 76ers need to focus on what he does to help the team, and that is play defense.

Simmons is arguably the most versatile defensive player in the NBA. He can keep up with the quickest point guards on the perimeter, as he showed against the Atlanta Hawks defending Trae Young.

Then, the next time down the court, he could be banging on the interior with the opposing team’s big man.

That kind of versatility is rare and not easy to replace. He has already made an All-NBA Defensive team twice in his career and has been in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. Guys like that don’t grow on trees.

READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Beal, Lillard, McCollum, Porzingis & Siakam

Simmons is a legitimate weapon for the 76ers to deploy defensively. Losing something like that would not be an easy thing to overcome.