A month ago, Anfernee Simons looked like a clean fit for the Philadelphia 76ers.
He gave them what they needed after the controversial Jared McCain trade: a guard who could shoot, create for himself, and make life easier for others. That picture changes fast when a team suddenly adds Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to the mix.
Now Simons already looks like the kind of piece that could get moved once he becomes eligible to be traded on Dec. 15.
There’s still plenty of runway for him to settle in and quiet any doubts. But the math around his role is obvious.
Brown, Joel Embiid, James, and Tyrese Maxey are all high-volume players who need a ton of the offense, and V.J. Edgecombe is going to need real touches too if the Sixers want to avoid slowing his growth.
That leaves Simons in a tricky spot. He can help.
There’s no question about that. He’s a good shooter and should fit next to stars on offense.
But helping and having a big enough role to justify keeping him are two different things.
Simons has averaged as much as 22.6 points and 5.5 assists per game in the NBA, so he’s proven he can carry more than a limited job. Even so, the Sixers’ current setup could squeeze him into more of a sixth-man lane, where he runs the second unit but doesn’t get to operate as a true offensive centerpiece.
The larger issue might be what Philadelphia needs more than what Simons can do. If the front office decides it needs a taller 3-and-D wing or a better backup center, Simons becomes one of the most logical names to move. His contract is team-friendly, and that makes him useful both on the floor and in trade talks.
And if the Sixers do keep him, the fit may still come with compromises. Brown, Embiid, James, and Maxey all posted usage rates of 26.2 or higher in 2025-26, which tells you how crowded the offense already is. Staggering minutes would be part of the answer, but it also means Simons may spend a lot of time as more of a floor-spacer than the full-throttle scorer he’s been in the past.
That’s not nothing, especially with Simons shooting 38.1 percent from three for his career. But the defense is the other part of the equation, and that’s where Philadelphia may start looking elsewhere.
He’s been underrated on that end, especially after buying in with the Boston Celtics in 2025-26, but he’s still 6'3" with a thin frame. If the Sixers decide they need more size and versatility on the wing, Simons could be the odd man out.
There’s also one more wrinkle: rookie Labaron Philon Jr. has a similar skill set and profile. Put it all together, and Simons may have become a trade candidate before his run in Philadelphia even really gets going.
In Other News...
Joel Embiid Update Gives 76ers Fans Real Reason For Hope
Joel Embiids summer has apparently gone about as well as the 76ers could have hoped, with Nick Nurse saying the big man is in shape, active and feeling much better as he gets back on the floor and into the weight room. After a season in which Embiid still produced at a high level, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, Philadelphias bigger concern was never the production. It was the availability, as he appeared in only 38 regular-season games.
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
Grant Williams helped calm one of the lingering concerns around Jaylen Brown this week, offering a firsthand view of what Brown and Jayson Tatum were like during their time together in Boston. Williams, who shared the Celtics locker room with both players from 2019 to 2023 before he was traded to the Mavericks, said their relationship was respectful and positive on and off the court, a detail that matters because Brown has long been viewed through the lens of how he might fit with Philadelphia if the 76ers ever circle back.
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 🡒]