Ben Simmons and Trae Young are two of the most admired, attacked, defended and maligned stars the NBA has right now.
They are at once brilliant and seemingly encumbered by physical and cognitive snags that, while vexing, would not deter any general manager from throwing every dollar the salary cap allows at their feet.
In Game 1 of their second-round series, Young led his Hawks to victory over the Sixers with a mesmerizing 35 points and 10 assists, while Simmons finished with 17 points, 10 assists, four steals and a block. Despite spellbound performances that helped showcase why both are so critical to understanding and appreciating the profound gifts and limitations that shape today’s league, cynicism still permeates all discourse involving either name, with “yes but” critiques that, while true, are not powerful enough to delegitimize either player’s influence every time they step on the court.