How would Ben Simmons fit with the Miami Heat?
If Ben Simmons were to form a big three with Butler and Adebayo in Miami, they would be by far the best defensive team in the NBA. Butler and Simmons are two of, if not the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, and the same can be said about Adebayo in the post.
On top of that, Simmons and Adebayo are the two most switchable defenders in the league. Both of them can guard positions one through five.
Miami was already one of the best defenses last year, so adding a top-three defender in the NBA would certainly help that. Defensively, this trade would make them a better basketball team.
However, most of the questions come on the offensive end of the floor. This would not help the Miami Heat improve in the areas they most need to improve in.
Last season, the Heat were one of the worst offenses in the NBA. They were bottom ten in scoring and in the bottom half of the league in three-point percentage.
Duncan Robinson even boosted this number. If Robinson wasn’t on the team, they would have been a bottom three team in three-point percentage last season.
Simmons makes this situation infinitely worse. He’s an amazing passer, but when it comes to scoring the ball, he’s not great.
Everyone watched him struggle in the playoffs last year. At times it looked as though he was scared to shoot the ball.
He doesn’t even try to take threes. Adding a player like that to Miami’s already stagnant offense would create a ton of roadblocks.
To summarize, the Miami Heat would be a dominant force defensively, but their struggles on the offensive end would be amplified even more.