Philadelphia 76ers Sign Anfernee Simons, Boosting Roster Ahead of Next Season

The Sixers are making a statement in free agency, strengthening their guard position significantly.

Less than 24 hours after the blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers have made another significant move in the NBA, further bolstering their roster for the upcoming season. The Sixers have secured one of the most sought-after free agents on the market in Anfernee Simons. This was first reported by ESPN insider Shams Charania.

The guard will sign a two-year contract with Philadelphia worth $12.3 million. The deal includes a player option for the second season. According to multiple reports, Simons deliberately chose the 76ers, despite interest from other teams. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that other contenders, including the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, were also vying for the 27-year-old’s services.

Simons was reportedly also on the radar of the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, and Dallas Mavericks.

A Smart Acquisition: Simons Could Solve Multiple Issues

In the past four years, Simons earned $100 million after signing a long-term contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022. Prior to last season, he was traded to the Boston Celtics as part of the Jrue Holiday deal, where he served as a Sixth Man. After 49 games, averaging 14.2 points per game as an instant offense spark off the bench, he was then traded to the Chicago Bulls. In return, the Celtics acquired Nikola Vucevic, who has now joined the Orlando Magic.

Simons played in only six games for the Bulls before his season was cut short due to a left wrist injury. He finished the season ranking sixth among all NBA bench players in three-pointers made.

This acquisition is expected to address a significant issue for the Sixers. Head Coach Nick Nurse’s team was among the three worst in the league from beyond the arc last year. Furthermore, Philadelphia ranked 27th in points scored by their bench players.

Sixers Reinforce: Brown, Simons, Wade, Hukporti — and LeBron?

In addition to Brown and Simons, the Sixers have finalized several other deals in recent days. On Tuesday, they signed Dean Wade, who most recently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The forward was given a four-year contract worth $39 million in free agency. The 76ers also secured Ariel Hukporti, a reigning NBA champion. The German center, who won a title with the New York Knicks just a few weeks ago, received a one-year contract as a backup center, earning $3.4 million for the upcoming season.

It has also emerged that Philadelphia is reportedly pursuing the most prominent free agent. According to The Athletic, the Sixers have reached out to LeBron James to signal their general interest. Rumors of the 41-year-old’s potential move to the City of Brotherly Love were further fueled when Steven Gansey, brother of new Sixers President Mike Gansey, posted a throwback photo on social media with «The King» from their high school days. The two also previously worked together with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Even without LeBron, the 76ers, with their current roster, would enter the 2026-2027 season as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. In the backcourt, youngster VJ Edgecombe, whom the Celtics reportedly wanted in the Brown trade, has been retained. Together with Tyrese Maxey, he forms one of the league’s most dynamic duos. The starting five will likely be rounded out by new additions Brown and Wade, along with the injury-prone superstar Joel Embiid.

Paul George was sent to Boston in the deal for Brown. Additionally, Kelly Oubre (Pacers) and Quentin Grimes (Lakers) departed in free agency.

NBA: Anfernee Simons’ Statistics Over the Last Five Years