Philadelphia 76ers working hard on Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz jump shots

FOR all the hype he generated off the court last season, Aussie NBA sensation Ben Simmons was woeful in one crucial area of his game on the court — and his coach says enough is enough.

FILE — In this Wednesday, May 9, 2018 file photo,Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown, right, talks with guard Ben Simmons before Game 5 of the team's NBA basketball playoff series against the Boston Celtics in Boston. Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown is expecting more out of guards Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz this season. The guards failed to hit a 3-pointer last season. Brown says the duo will have to be better from long range this season. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

BEN Simmons and Markelle Fultz are expected this season to join Philadelphia’s Big Three.

No, not as franchise cornerstones — the No. 1 draft picks were already part of that trio with All-Star centre Joel Embiid.

But as long-distance shooters, Simmons and Fultz went 0 for the season on 3s; Simmons, the NBA rookie of the year, missed all 11 attempts and Fultz went 0 for 1 from 3-point range.

Sixers coach Brett Brown said both players have put in the work needed on their jumpers, though neither player will ever become defined by his work beyond the arc.

AUSSIES ABROAD: Punter is the superhero we all need

Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown, right, has a different role in mind for star Ben Simmons this season. Picture: AP Photo

Brown said Fultz took about 150,000 shots this summer under the tutelage of trainer Drew Hanlen. Simmons has worked with his brother, Liam, a former college basketball assistant coach, at 3s and shooting from the elbow.

Simmons attempted just one 3 in the postseason and he’ll have to establish some sort of long-range jumper to become a serious all-round threat in the NBA.

“His jump shot’s not going to define him,” Brown said Tuesday. “At some point, it will sure help. But I have aspirations, ambitions for him where I want him to feature on an all-defensive team. I personally want to post him more. I look forward to using him as a screener and giving Markelle the ball and let him roll out of it, that Blake Griffin-sort of half-roll and go to dunk.”

Ben Simmons👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/mTFXRWXi5s

— NBA RETWEET (@RTNBA) September 11, 2018

Simmons also needed work on his free throws: He made 191 of 341 for just 56 per cent.

“Imagine if he can score one more point, it translates to like three to five more wins,” Brown said. “When I look at how you’re going to do that, that’s one way that interests me, let’s just get him more free throws. Can you finish, can you be a better free-throw shooter than you were in the regular season? He has to be.”

Fultz, the No. 1 pick of the 2017 draft, is bordering on bust territory after just one season. His rookie year was derailed by a mysterious shoulder injury, a broken shot and confidence issues. He played the first four games, missed 68 games because of injury, and then was benched in the playoffs against the Celtics.

The most baffling moment came when he refused to answer questions about his shoulder, simply staring blankly ahead and rubbing his head.

#Sixers coach Brett Brown on if and how he would play @MarkelleF and @BenSimmons25 on the floor together this season. pic.twitter.com/WcISIBFccD

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) September 18, 2018

Fultz struggled with his mechanics when he did play, and his shooting form was widely mocked around the NBA.

No one in the organisation could pinpoint when Fultz’s form went awry, though he started experiencing soreness shortly after he was drafted.

Brown said he was part of a “Team Markelle” formed this summer to help get the 20-year-old back on track.

Ben Simmons #25 and Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers joke around during a photo shoot together. Picture: Getty Images

“When I see him now come back into our gym, you look at his swagger, his cocky side, his mojo, he’s seeking shots,” Brown said. “He really is not bashful. When I look at the actual form, there are times, from a posture standpoint, he’s a little bit backward. When you look at him rising up, or getting the ball in his shot pocket, sometimes his head will go back and he’ll play more in a fade-type fundamental that we want to try and correct.”

But if Simmons can’t shoot and Fultz can’t shoot, then how are they going to play together on a Sixers team that won 52 games last season?

“At (some) point of the game, is it the start, is it ending, those two guys will play together,” Brown said. “There’s zero doubt we’ll go through some growing pains as everyone expects and should expect.”

76ERS NAME ELTON BRAND GENERAL MANAGER

Elton Brand is in charge of the Philadelphia 76ers.

A person familiar with the situation says the Sixers have made Brand their new general manager, replacing Bryan Colangelo. Colangelo resigned in June as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations after what an investigation concluded was “careless and in some instances reckless” sharing of sensitive team information on Twitter.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the move had not been officially announced. Brand is expected to be introduced at a news conference on Thursday.

Brand had worked for the Sixers as vice president of operations and also served as the general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ G League affiliate.

Brand was the No. 1 pick of the 1999 draft by the Chicago Bulls and played two stints with the Sixers.

Sixers coach Brett Brown had served as Philadelphia’s interim GM and said earlier Tuesday he wasn’t interested in holding both jobs.

Get ready for cricket like never before. FREE Sport HD + Entertainment until the first 4K cricket ball as part of 2 months free on a 12 month plan. SIGN UP TODAY. T&Cs apply

Originally published as Philadelphia 76ers working hard on Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz jump shots