The Philadelphia 76ers may not be done after an offseason that already brought in LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Anfernee Simons. The latest buzz around the team points to one more swing, and it comes with a name that once seemed impossible to circle back to Philadelphia: Ben Simmons.
According to Sixers insider Diego Jimenez, the 76ers are weighing a one-year minimum salary deal for Simmons to fill the final roster spot. Jimenez called it a potential summer shocker, noting, “Ben Simmons could be the protagonist of one of the most surprising comebacks of the summer in the NBA,” and added that the team’s move for LeBron James, its lack of interior depth, and Simmons’ own desire to return have shifted the situation.
A reunion would carry plenty of baggage. Simmons and the 76ers split on ugly terms after the 2021 playoffs, when he was at the center of a painful collapse and then forced his way out by ghosting the team and refusing to take part in basketball activities. A full season passed before he played again, and a return to Philadelphia never felt likely.
His standing around the league has also taken a hit. In 2024-25, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Interest in him has been thin ever since, and there was real doubt about whether he would play in the league again at all.
Still, Simmons says he’s ready to come back at 30 years old after a season away, and Philadelphia could offer the cleanest path. The veteran minimum would make him a low-cost gamble, and the team could use his two-way handling and playmaking off the bench.
There’s also the fit angle. With LeBron James on the roster, Simmons would have a chance to learn from a player known for durability, and with Tyrese Maxey leading the way, he wouldn’t be carrying the same pressure that came with his first run in Philly.
On paper, the logic is simple: the 76ers would be taking on little risk, and Simmons would get a chance to restart his career where it once fell apart. Before everything unraveled, he was one of the league’s most productive young wing players, averaging 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 58.0% shooting and 28.% shooting from three. If he can get even part of that version back, Philadelphia gets even deeper in what has already been a major offseason overhaul.
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Nurses update matters because the Sixers do not need a reminder of how different the team looks when Embiid is healthy and moving well. For now, the early read on the offseason is encouraging, and that alone gives the organization some badly needed optimism heading toward the new season. The real test, of course, will come once the games start and the grind begins to look a lot more like the one that has challenged Embiid in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Grant Williams Just Eased A Big 76ers Fear About Jaylen Brown
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For the Sixers, the bigger issue has never just been Browns talent. Its whether the personality and basketball fit would hold up in a new setting, especially with the rumors that have followed him because of his ties to Tatum and the Celtics recent years of title-chasing. Williams comments do not answer every question about a potential move, but they do take some of the edge off the concern that Browns dynamic with a star teammate would be a problem in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Made Sixers-Celtics Feel Even More Personal
Jaylen Browns arrival in Philadelphia already gave the Sixers-Celtics rivalry a sharper edge, and his introductory press conference only added to the intrigue. Brown spoke respectfully about Jayson Tatum, the teammate with whom he won a championship in Boston, while making clear the two have not communicated since the trade that sent him to the 76ers.
For a team trying to reset itself around a star-studded starting lineup, Brown brings both production and baggage in the best possible way. He comes off a season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and now his move to Philadelphia gives the Sixers another marquee name as they chase a major turnaround next season. [Read more 🡒]