Anfernee Simons is heading into a new kind of job with the 76ers, and he’s not treating it like a downgrade.
Philadelphia added Simons in free agency this summer as part of a deeper backcourt build around a roster that also picked up LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. With that kind of lineup in place, Simons is likely to come off the bench in 2026-27, even though he spent much of his career as a starter for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Simons sounds ready for it.
On the “Cousins” podcast, he explained his approach to the role this way:
“My mindset going into the game is I’ve already competed at a high level with starters, and it’s going to be even easier for me when I come into the game playing against second units.”
That confidence comes from years of being tested as a starter in Portland, where he stepped into a bigger role after CJ McCollum was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He had already spent plenty of time dealing with top defenders and heavy responsibility, so the move to a bench assignment with Philadelphia doesn’t seem to rattle him.
He also made sure to give credit to the veterans who helped shape his game along the way:
“There’s a lot of guys that helped me along the way, whether it was Norm Powell, CJ McCollum, or those guys that didn’t necessarily come into the league starting. Damian Lillard came into the league, and immediately he was a starter, and he became an All-Star pretty quickly. But for guys like that, they had to work their way up.”
“Rodney Hood, Evan Turner, and those guys helped me understand what it took to be a real role player. They always felt like you’re a starter, but for right now, until you become that, you need to learn how to be able to play a role and do it well.”
Last season gave Simons another look at life off the bench when he spent most nights in that spot for the Boston Celtics. In 55 appearances, with five starts, he averaged 14.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.6 steals while shooting 44.0% from the field and 39.5% from three. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised his scoring and the energy he brought defensively.
After that stretch in Boston, Simons went back to a starting role with the Chicago Bulls, but the run was short. He played six games, started five of them, and then an injury ended his season.
Even with that stop-and-start path, his time in Chicago showed he can still produce when given the ball early. He averaged 15.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game there.
Now the 76ers are asking for a different version of the same player: one who can anchor the second unit and keep the offense moving when the starters sit. If Philadelphia is going to chase the title it expects to be in the mix for next season, that kind of depth matters. And with Simons positioned as the first guard off the bench, the Sixers will be counting on him to steady that group.
In Other News...
Celtics Have A Low-Risk Point Guard Option Worth Watching
Ryan Nembhard has popped onto the Celtics radar as a possible low-risk point guard addition, the kind of move that often surfaces around this part of the roster cycle. The 23-year-old was recently traded to the Charlotte Hornets and is expected to be waived, which could open the door for Boston to take a closer look at a player who already has some NBA experience and a track record as a distributor.
Nembhard spent time with the Dallas Mavericks on a two-way contract and made enough of an impression to set a rookie assist record, a useful calling card for a team that could use added depth at point guard behind its main group. Boston already has several players tied up on two-way deals, so any decision here would have to fit the teams flexibility and its appetite for another developmental guard worth monitoring. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Face A Costly Payton Pritchard Decision Soon
Payton Pritchard is entering a stretch that could shape both his future and Bostons rotation planning, with the guard eligible to sign an extension starting Oct. 1. After a breakout season that stood as the best of his NBA career, Pritchard has become a far more important piece for the Celtics, and the price of keeping him around has moved well beyond the bargain-bin range.
Boston has already extended contracts to other players recently, and there is an expectation around the team that Pritchard will get serious consideration as well. The question now is whether the Celtics are ready to commit to a deal that could reach roughly three years and $67 million, a costly number for a player they clearly view as part of the next stretch of their roster. [Read more 🡒]
Jayson Tatum Put On Blast As Celtics Loyalty Debate Heats Up
The Celtics long-running image as a tight-knit core has taken a small but messy hit in the court of opinion, with DeMarcus Cousins taking aim at Jayson Tatum on a podcast over what he sees as a lapse in loyalty toward Jaylen Brown. Cousins criticism centered on the idea that Tatum did not contact Brown after Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that naturally marked a difficult stretch in Browns career and put their relationship under the microscope.
Tatum has publicly spoken highly of Brown, but Cousins suggested those comments came off more like polished public relations than a reflection of real support. For Boston, the debate lands in familiar territory: the franchise has spent years selling the strength of its stars' bond, and any hint of distance between the faces of the team tends to draw outsized attention, especially when it comes from a former NBA veteran willing to say the quiet part out loud. [Read more 🡒]