Watching a video clip of Ben Simmons will reveal most of the traits that the 76ers want in a power forward.
You'll see strength. You'll see athleticism. You'll see great passing. But you won't see the great shooting range the Sixers also covet.
But in all fairness, the 6-foot-10, 260-pound former LSU post player only attempted three 3-pointers (hitting one) this past season.
"He has all the tools," said Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who serves as Simmons' mentor. "So it's up to him" to be a great player.
The modern-day NBA power forward can stretch the floor by shooting 3-pointers. Typically, there are now four players positioning themselves near the perimeter while the center is anchored on the block.
So in a perfect world, the power forward would be an effective outside shooter. But the Sixers are also excited about having post players that can pass like point guards and wing players.
They expect their power forward to flash to a high post and pass, be able to pass out of the low post, and facilitate offense in the pick-and-roll.
Defensively, the Sixers are looking for their four-man to have the ability to successfully switch out on a point guard on a pick-and-roll. And they want that person to be able to finish a play with a defensive rebound.
Aside from the shooting, Simmons does all of the things the Sixers desire in a power forward. With repetition and hard work, his shooting will come. However, it's rare for someone of his size to possess his athleticism.
Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals this past season en route to being a consensus first-team all-American.
Despite that, there were some concerns about Simmons' character. Some have criticized him for everything from not leading LSU to the NCAA tournament to not working out for any NBA teams. James tried to put that to rest over the weekend.
"I think we all don't know just yet how great of a kid he is and how down to earth he is with the game of basketball and life in general," James said during Saturday's media availability for Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.
The Sixers are doing their due diligence to find out for themselves. But he may be in good company with James as his mentor. The four-time MVP has been known for his work ethic and good decisions.
"I also give him a lot of advice on what to expect when he makes his jump [this] week, how to handle it," James said. "But he also has to figure it out on his own as well because everybody's path is different."
But Simmons has all the tools of someone whose path will lead them to the Sixers.
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