NBA scouts dish dirt on team formations for this season

BEN Simmons and the 76ers are a mess, Thon Maker isn’t ready to play and Andrew Bogut is only good for 45 games a season.

Pump the brakes.

THE 76ers are a mess, Thon Maker isn’t ready to play and Andrew Bogut is only good for 45 games a season.

That’s the ugly verdict NBA scouts have handed down on some of Australia’s NBA stars heading into the 2016-17 season.

In a report compiled by Sports Illustrated, NBA scouts — under the condition of anonymity — have dished the dirt on how teams are really tracking for this season. Here’s how it’s going to play out.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

So you’re telling me there’s a chance.

BEN Simmons is the real deal. NBA agents have anonymously agreed the Aussie 20-year-old is going to deliver on his incredible hype, but right now that does nothing for his Philadelphia teammates.

Already out of action for at least three months with a foot injury, Simmons has been described as an awkward fit in a team overcrowded with big men.

Until he finds his feet in the NBA, Simmons will do little to help fix his team’s core problems.

“Obviously Ben ­Simmons is going to be a star once he recovers from his [right] foot injury,” one scout said, according to SI.com.

“He’s got guard skills and his vision is incredible for his size. He’s a great passer, not a very good shooter. He will guard the threes and will do a lot of three stuff, but I can see them playing him at point guard to hide his lack of ­scoring.”

The consensus from scouts is the Sixers are a team that still has too many cracks to cover up — especially in the backcourt — after going 10-72 last season.

“I think they want to start Jahlil Okafor at power forward and Nerlens Noel at centre, but it’s not gonna work,” one scout said.

“Okafor has to have the block; he’s as good a low-post scorer as there is in the league, but his defence is a glaring flaw. Noel can’t shoot, so his (baskets) are going to come around the rim. It’s going to be a hard, hard match to make work.”

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Rollercoaster.

AUSSIE No. 10 draft pick Thon Maker has been told he’s not ready to step into the NBA in his rookie season.

Despite being singled out by former NBA star Jalen Rose as his pick for the NBA 2016-17 rookie of the year, NBA agents have revealed Maker’s game needs a lot of polishing.

“Thon Maker will be interesting,” one NBA scout said.

“He plays really hard, he’s tall. But he has very little feel for the game, and very poor strength in his core, his glutes and legs. He can kinda shoot if he has time and space, but he can’t really make shots at game speed yet. I hope they’re not expecting him to play.”

Maker’s teammate and fellow-Aussie Matthew Dellavedova has been identified as a smart recruitment move by the Bucks, in the Sports Illustrated report.

Despite adding Dellavedova, Milwaukee is still seen as a team that will struggle without shooting guard Khris Middleton (who will miss almost the entire season after needing hamstring surgery).

“It is very unfortunate for them that Middleton got hurt,” a scout said.

“I don’t know if he’s as good as some of the advance metrics rate him, but he’s very good and was trending toward being a borderline All-Star. And what is clear from all the advance metrics, is that the Bucks play terrible when he’s not on the floor. Like they are nowhere near a competent NBA team when Khris Middleton is on the bench.

“I liked adding Delly and Teletovic because those are two guys who can make shots and stay out of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s way.

“It’s hard to figure out how that team makes sense as currently constructed. Jason Kidd’s had a lot of influence on their personnel moves, and I don’t think that’s been a good thing for them.”

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Everyone has those days.

ANDREW Bogut will be headed back to the playoffs with Dallas this season — only if luck falls their way.

NBA scouts have forecast the Mavs are heading towards a 0.500 win/loss record.

The Aussie centre has been described as a temperamental character that should only be budgeted to deliver a top-level performance in around 45 games this season.

“Bogut’s good, he’s just not going to play 82 games,” one agent said.

“He’ll probably play closer to 60, and of those 60, 15 of ‘em he will probably not be feeling great physically, and therefore give a lacklustre effort.

“But Bogut when he’s feeling good and trying hard is better than anyone Dallas has had at centre since Tyson Chandler.”

Another scout said Bogut could be a very good player for Dallas if he can stay healthy.

“Bogut, I don’t really want to blame it on him because his body’s f****d up in a lot of ways, but he has nights where he’s just not in a good physical or mental state,” he said.

“But when his juices are flowing and he’s really competing, he’s strong, he’s tough, he’s a great rim protector, very savvy on defence, he can really pass. He’s a very good player.”

UTAH JAZZ

Needs some luck.

THE Jazz are being predicted as one of the teams likely to take a big step forward this season — but that’s without much input from Aussie talent Dante Exum.

“Exum is a forgotten man,” one scout said. “It’s time to see if he’s progressed with his shooting at all.”

But the Jazz could go as far as winning through to the conference semi-finals this season. “They’re a trendy pick for a team to make the leap, but they still need to prove it,” a scout said.

“They don’t have a star but they’ve got quality depth at all five positions and they’ll push Portland at the top of the Northwest. They could grind out a series win if everything goes right.”

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Still thereabouts.

PATTY Mills’ Spurs have been rated no chance of challenging the super-team Golden State Warriors for the Western Conference this season.

Despite winning a stunning 67 regular season games last year, NBA insiders expect San Antonio to drop this year while still being one of the best teams in the west.

Aussie Mills is still seen as a legitimately solid option as cover for the Spurs’ ageing backcourt.

The Spurs are expected to funnel their offence even more through star Kawhi Leonard, but it won’t be enough to get near the Warriors.

“They’ll be really good because they’ll be well-coached and well-managed, and Kawhi is great,” one scout said.

“But do I think they’re a championship team with Kawhi as their best player and Lamarcus Aldridge as their second best player? Without someone else emerging, probably not. Definitely not in a league where the Warriors have the best team of all time. You know, that makes it hard.

“I think they’ll have a good team, though. They’ll win high-50s. But they were secretly a f***ing juggernaut last year, and I don’t think they’ll be quite as good with this group.

“No, they don’t have a shot against the Warriors, but no one does. Not even close.”