Are Embiid & Simmons destined to be the new Shaq & Penny?

[slightly biased bias fan]

With a title like that many on here may think I am another closet Philly fan but on the contrary, I mean that in a some-what derogatory sense.

It is amazing how similar these two duo's are, Joel Embiid and Shaquille O'Neal are both 7'2 mutants who can run the floor like a gazelle and physically impose their game on essentially anyone...Ben Simmons and Penny Hardaway are/were both seen as the heir to Magic Johnson with their amazing size, athleticism and vision. I also see similarities how the Magic and the 76ers acquired these talents...luck. With Orlando it is common knowledge that the Magic lucked into these two franchise changing players where as the 76ers still live by the myth of the 'process', but the reality is, they were also blindly lucky in getting an injury ravaged Embiid to fall in the draft and win another draft where the consensus number one pick was in a tier all to himself in Simmons. Now that I have established the background, my main point is looking towards the future; will we see Embiid & Simmons end up like Shaq & Penny in Orlando, but in reversed roles? Embiid has had multiple injuries already and missed essentially two seasons in his young career could he end up like Penny as someone who had the talent but will never be fulfilled due to crippling injuries? And will Simmons end up like Shaq as someone who wants to live and play under the spotlight of Los Angeles? Simmons was never shy of his love for the Lakers pre draft and given his relationship with Kendall Jenner & LeBron James will he (when able to) flee to the Lakers just as Shaq did before him?

Call me crazy but the similarities are there and without a championship, this 76ers may be in for the same fate as that 90's Magic team.

[Surferdad]

I am out on an island in that I am not convinced Simmons will be a transcendent player.  Penny was definitely on that path.  So, my anwser is no.

[Androslav]

I am out on an island in that I am not convinced Simmons will be a transcendent player.  Penny was definitely on that path.  So, my answer is no.

Agreed.
God, I loved to watch Penny.

[gouki88]

I am out on an island in that I am not convinced Simmons will be a transcendent player.  Penny was definitely on that path.  So, my anwser is no.

100% agree

[Celtics4ever]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

[ederson]

I am out on an island in that I am not convinced Simmons will be a transcendent player.  Penny was definitely on that path.  So, my anwser is no.

i won't argue that Simmons is going to be a franchise player and i know that stats many times lie but comparing rookie Simmons to rookie Penny i don't think you can truly say that Penny was that clear better.

Simmons is better in almost every category playing 3mpg less. Both awful from long range (Penny a bit less awful but stil 26%3p)

[Moranis]

I am out on an island in that I am not convinced Simmons will be a transcendent player.  Penny was definitely on that path.  So, my anwser is no.

i won't argue that Simmons is going to be a franchise player and i know that stats many times lie but comparing rookie Simmons to rookie Penny i don't think you can truly say that Penny was that clear better.

Simmons is better in almost every category playing 3mpg less. Both awful from long range (Penny a bit less awful but stil 26%3p)

Yeah.  Simmons out performed Hardaway pretty much across the board as a rookie and had a team with more wins and more playoff success. 

That said, Shaq was an absolute monster.  People forget just how unstoppable he was in his prime and I can't see Embiid or Simmons ever reaching that level (though both could be better than Penny was in his prime). 

[Big333223]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

This.

As talented as Embiid is, I was surprised by how unskilled he was in the playoffs. For as well as he moves, he doesn't know what to do with it when he's around the basket. He can improve but when Shaq was his age he was already averaging almost 30 ppg and had a host of moves to go with his size.

[Donoghus]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

This.

As talented as Embiid is, I was surprised by how unskilled he was in the playoffs. For as well as he moves, he doesn't know what to do with it when he's around the basket. He can improve but when Shaq was his age he was already averaging almost 30 ppg and had a host of moves to go with his size.

He's certainly more raw than Shaq was in his early days with the Magic. 

As a basketball fan, I'd like to see him play around the rim more rather than floating around the perimeter which he has a tendency to do.  Think that actually hurts Philly when he does that.   You can see glimpses of just how dominant down low he can be if he puts in the effort on his inside game. 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Both are special talents that can be franchise cornerstones.

Neither are as good as their counterpart in the Penny-Shaq comparisons.

I don't think Embiid has the feel he needs to be dominate around the basket (even though he is still pretty good). I think he prefers attacking from the perimeter. He's a special talent in that way, but he won't break you inside. That's the reason the Celtics were able to play him straight with Aron Baynes for large portions of the game. There's just no way you could play Shaq straight up inside with Aaron Baynes.

I still think Simmons' best position is not the primary ball-handler. If the Sixers got a player like CJ McCullom and allowed Simmons to facilitate off of his scoring, I think Simmons would be at his best. If he played a more robust (with a higher usage rate) style as Draymond Green on offense, he would be a triple-double guy and his personal scoring efficiency would sky-rocket.

The primary issue with Simmons is his playoff scoring. He just doesn't have playoff scoring skills. When the Celtics forced him to be a scorer, their offense stalled. Moving him more off-ball would put him in areas on the court where he could use the scoring skills he does have against high level competition in the playoffs.

[ederson]

The primary issue with Simmons is his playoff scoring. He just doesn't have playoff scoring skills. When the Celtics forced him to be a scorer, their offense stalled. Moving him more off-ball would put him in areas on the court where he could use the scoring skills he does have against high level competition in the playoffs.

i'd say it is more of a lack of experience.... Again with my previous disclaimer Simmons rookie playoff run is better than Penny's

Penny doubled his 3p% (just 11 shots though) but he took 6 shots more than Simmons who had 5% beter FG% and 3% better TS
He scored just 2 points less playing 8min less 2%lower usage and almost 2 TO less.

I realy don't seen how rookie Penny was a better scorer than rookie Simmons

[SHAQATTACK]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

tp

[playdream]

[fairweatherfan]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

Or Penny. People forget how great he was - a 1st team All-NBA guy before his body broke down.  They might get to Penny's level but they're not there yet.

[ederson]

Neither of them is as good as Shaq.

Or Penny. People forget how great he was - a 1st team All-NBA guy before his body broke down.  They might get to Penny's level but they're not there yet.

if we compare Simmons rookie season to Penny's top season then obviously Penny was better

I don't find this comparison fair though