Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty ImagesNBA evaluators had a theory about why Ben Simmons is hesitant.
Some scouts think the reason Ben Simmons doesn't go aggressive isn't because he's afraid of missing the shot, but because he's afraid of being called for a foul.
Simmons is 3-of-9 from the charity stripe to start the 2022-23 season.
It's easy to understand why someone outside the team would conclude that way.
Simmons has strong attributes on offense. He will pass the ball off when others pull up or drive to the basket. We can assume he won't be much of a shooter either.
Poor free-throw shooting has been a problem for many NBA players. Over time, most of them improved and didn't let it affect their play.
Simmons didn't start his tenure well. Through the first four games, he is shooting less than his career average of 16.3 shots per 100 possessions.
When Irving got the ball in the paint, he was told to shoot by his coach.
✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content Irving downplayed the significance of that moment, saying it was just a clip and indicative of how he and his teammates want Ben to be aggressive.
This shows how difficult it would be for Simmons to address the underlying causes of his current slump.
He's a three-time All-Star who plays for a team that wants to win a title, so nothing he does will go under the radar. People will talk about it if he continues to struggle.
It's a recipe for disaster if a player is battling a mental block.
It's too early to say if Simmons will have a hard time adjusting early on because he missed the whole season. The report shows that he's not getting the benefit of the doubt.
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