Anfernee Simons may not be the loudest headline in Philadelphia’s reshaped roster, but he could end up being one of the pieces that makes it hum.
With LeBron James joining the 76ers for the 2026-27 season, and with All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown also in the mix, Philadelphia is drawing obvious attention for the firepower at the top. But the team’s depth has some juice too, and Simons stands out as the most dangerous bench scorer in the group.
That fits the way he has always played. Since his Portland Trail Blazers days, Simons has been a bursty, high-volume offensive threat who doesn’t need the ball to stay dangerous. He moves well without it, gets himself free with smart off-ball action and can really punish defenses as a spot-up shooter from three.
That skill set should fit cleanly alongside James, Brown and Embiid. Simons has already shown he can adapt to playing with other top-end talent, including Brown and Damian Lillard, so this setup shouldn’t ask him to change who he is. It should put him in position to do what he does best.
The starting group has naturally grabbed most of the spotlight because of the star power packed into it, but Philadelphia’s bench deserves a closer look. Simons is the biggest name there, yet Dean Wade, Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow also have a chance to matter. If that second unit holds its own, the 76ers will be in a much better spot.
Simons seems to understand exactly what’s coming. “Obviously you got the ultimate like that confidence in yourself that you feel like you’re a starter.
You know, obviously the role is different. You know, you might be coming out off the bench, but you know, my mindset going into the game is I’ve already competed at a high level with starters, and it’s going to be just even easier for me when I come into the game, you know what I mean?
Playing against second units,” Simons said on Cousins with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
That kind of clarity matters. The 76ers need their roles defined, and if everyone settles into place before the season begins, this group has a ceiling that is hard to ignore. Philadelphia is clearly built to chase a championship, and Simons could be a major reason why the offense keeps rolling when the stars sit.
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