Around the Sixers’ star-heavy starting five, the rest of the roster picture is starting to come into focus - and for now, Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons look like the clearest bets to stay in the regular rotation.
Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice frames both players as the only rotation locks beyond Philadelphia’s top group. Wade and Simons were brought in during free agency before the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown or signed LeBron James, and new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey was able to squeeze both contracts - $9MM for Wade and $6MM for Simons - into the mid-level exception.
Aaronson sees that pair as a better fit than the departed Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes, who were moved out to create the MLE room. Wade brings the kind of versatility that makes life easier for stars: dependable defense, useful offense and plenty of experience in Cleveland playing alongside high-end talent.
Simons gives Philadelphia something different. He’s a dangerous shooter from deep, having hit 38.1% of his career three-pointers, and he should be able to supply scoring punch off the bench behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
The rest of the bench is less settled. Aaronson says Nick Nurse typically leans on a nine-man group in the regular season and suggests that the remaining minutes could be sorted out among Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti. Barlow could develop into a small-ball center down the line, but early on Nurse is more likely to test Bona and Hukporti in backup roles and see which one gives him more.
First-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. is being viewed more as a depth option, alongside Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker. Aaronson says nobody should panic if Philon’s minutes don’t arrive immediately, since there are already plenty of ball-handling choices ahead of him.
Barlow also has a specific area of focus this summer: his jumper. In a separate piece, Aaronson reports that Barlow worked on refining his shooting mechanics after an elbow injury early last season forced him to alter his form, eventually leading to wrist discomfort. Now healthy, he’s been trying to become more reliable from outside, especially in the corners.
“Right now, just looking at our personnel, the guys we have running the floor and filling in those spots, I think making that shot is the most important thing,” he said. “And if I’m making other shots, it’s definitely a plus. But if I can space the floor out from the corners, I think it gives our team a whole different look with all the other stuff that I do.”
Edwards, meanwhile, may be squeezed the hardest by all the offseason movement. Chris Hine of The Philadelphia Inquirer noted in a mailbag column that the 22-year-old small forward played in 64 games last season and started 12, but the new roster doesn’t appear to have regular minutes waiting for him.
That all feeds into the bigger question facing Philadelphia: can the stars actually build enough continuity during the regular season to make a real title push? Vincent Goodwill of ESPN says that will be essential, but also points out that James’ age and Joel Embiid’s injury history could complicate the process. Neither player is expected to be used often in back-to-backs, and while Goodwill notes that James’ teams usually get better in their second year together, the Sixers may not have the luxury of waiting.
In Other News...
Sixers Bench Overhaul Leaves Nick Nurse With One Big Playoff Question
The Sixers have spent the offseason reshaping the back end of the roster, bringing in Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie Labaron Philon Jr. for a bench group that looks far different from the one Nick Nurse had to sort through a year ago. For a team built around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the goal is to make the second unit less of a patchwork and more of a real support system, with Simons and Wade viewed as the most obvious early pieces.
Nurses challenge now is not simply finding talent, but fitting it into a rotation that can survive the long regular season and still make sense when the games tighten up. Simons is back from a wrist injury and eager to help stabilize things, while Philon flashed enough in summer league to at least put himself in the conversation for minutes. The real question is how quickly Nurse can settle on the right combinations, because the Sixers bench makeover only matters if it leads to a group he trusts when the postseason pressure arrives. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Still Have A Joel Embiid Problem They Need To Solve
The 76ers spent the offseason trying to address the depth around Joel Embiid, but one familiar issue still lingers: they do not have a proven backup center in place. For now, that leaves Philadelphia leaning on a group of young players competing for minutes behind Embiid, a thin setup for a team that knows how quickly the frontcourt can become unstable over the course of a season.
Clint Capela has emerged as a possible name to watch if the Sixers decide to keep searching. Entering his 13th NBA season and under contract through 2028, the veteran center is reportedly available in trade discussions because his role with the Rockets has diminished. For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious: a seasoned big man who could ease the burden on Embiid, even if any move would still require the front office to sort through the price and the fit. [Read more 🡒]
Ex-76ers Vet Buddy Hield Faces Another Uncertain NBA Future
Buddy Hields last season already hinted at how quickly an NBA rsum can lose its shine, with his minutes trimmed and his production sliding in a way that left him searching for stability. Now with the Hawks, the former 76ers guard enters another stretch where the big question is not just how he fits, but whether he fits in Atlanta at all.
Hield remains under contract through the 2027-28 season with a player option, which gives the Hawks some flexibility but also keeps the situation murky for a veteran whose value has fluctuated. Atlanta could explore a trade or even a buyout, and for a player who has seen his role shrink, the coming weeks may determine whether he gets a real chance to reset or is moved along again. [Read more 🡒]