This was the season where Philadelphia was going to start to turn the corner on “the process.” GM Bryan Colangelo brought in some veterans, plus the young core was ready to go — Joel Embiid is finally healthy, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor were a year older and more experienced, and now there was Ben Simmons to play point-forward and whip the ball around the court.
Except now Simmons is out with a broken foot, one that will require surgery. He reportedly will miss three months, bringing him back around the first of the year, but it could be more than that. You know the Sixers are going to go slow with pushing his return.
GM Bryan Colangelo and coach Brett Brown characterized the injury as a speed bump — it will slow down the process for a little while, but it will not change the direction. Via Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com:
Colangelo on Sixers-"We’re still at the groundfloor.This probably just slows things down,certainly for Ben Simmons & probably for us a bit."
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) October 2, 2016
Brett Brown describes Ben Simmons injury as, "We’ve all been hit in the stomach and you lose your wind."
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) October 2, 2016
Bryan Colangelo on Ben Simmons: "This is an injury that he should come back from and have a very successful and long career."
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) October 2, 2016
Colangelo on Simmons: "In no way, shape or form are we going to rush him back."
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) October 2, 2016
They are right, the plan is not changing, just the timing in Philly. They should not rush Simmons’ return. Sixers fans hate the word “patience” at this point, but what else is there.
Brown did talk about spending the time Simmons is sidelined reworking the rookie’s jumper. Maybe that can be a positive.